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<description>Japan Airlines said it was hit by a cyberattack Thursday, causi ...
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</div></p><p><a href="https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/ ...
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/" xmlns:admin="http://webns.net/mvcb/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:syn="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:taxo="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/taxonomy/"> <channel rdf:about="https://slashdot.org/"><title>Slashdot</title><link>https://slashdot.org/</link><description>News for nerds, stuff that matters</description><dc:language>en-us</dc:language><dc:rights>Copyright Slashdot Media. All Rights Reserved.</dc:rights><dc:date>2024-12-26T06:17:16+00:00</dc:date><dc:publisher>Slashdot Media</dc:publisher><dc:creator>feedback@slashdot.org</dc:creator><dc:subject>Technology</dc:subject><syn:updateBase>1970-01-01T00:00+00:00</syn:updateBase><syn:updateFrequency>1</syn:updateFrequency><syn:updatePeriod>hourly</syn:updatePeriod><items> <rdf:Seq> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0544247/japan-airlines-hit-by-cyberattack-delaying-flights-during-year-end-holiday-season?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0333203/germany-joins-eus-ultra-low-fertility-club?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0255257/apple-explains-why-it-doesnt-plan-to-build-a-search-engine?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/2232247/russia-bans-crypto-mining-in-multiple-regions-citing-energy-concerns?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/2222227/porch-pirates-are-now-raising-the-price-you-pay-at-checkout?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/224231/microsoft-edge-takes-a-victory-lap-with-some-high-looking-usage-stats-for-2024?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1911259/apple-is-not-losing-googles-billions-without-a-fight?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/173204/headlights-are-growing-brighter?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1611229/bret-taylor-urges-rethink-of-software-development-as-ai-reshapes-industry?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/157235/fcc-rip-and-replace-provision-for-chinese-tech-tops-cyber-provisions-in-defense-bill?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1330200/elite-colleges-have-a-looming-money-problem?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2226248/in-maine-remote-work-gives-prisoners-a-lifeline?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2219245/critics-not-fans-perpetuate-the-failed-second-album-myth-study-shows?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2211202/nasas-parker-solar-probe-completes-historic-christmas-eve-flyby-of-the-sun?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> <rdf:li rdf:resource="https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2054235/ai-beats-human-experts-at-distinguishing-american-whiskey-from-scotch?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed" /> </rdf:Seq></items><image rdf:resource="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicslashdot.gif" /><textinput rdf:resource="https://slashdot.org/search.pl" /></channel><image rdf:about="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicslashdot.gif"><title>Slashdot</title><url>https://a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicslashdot.gif</url><link>https://slashdot.org/</link></image><item rdf:about="https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0544247/japan-airlines-hit-by-cyberattack-delaying-flights-during-year-end-holiday-season?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Japan Airlines Hit By Cyberattack, Delaying Flights During Year-End Holiday Season</title><link>https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0544247/japan-airlines-hit-by-cyberattack-delaying-flights-during-year-end-holiday-season?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>Japan Airlines said it was hit by a cyberattack Thursday, causing delays to more than 20 domestic flights but the carrier said there was no impact on flight safety. From a report: JAL said the problem started Thursday morning when the company's network connecting internal and external systems began malfunctioning. The airline said the cyberattack had delayed 24 domestic flights for more than 30 minutes, and the impact could expand later in the day.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Japan+Airlines+Hit+By+Cyberattack%2C+Delaying+Flights+During+Year-End+Holiday+Season%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F26%2F0544247%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F26%2F0544247%2Fjapan-airlines-hit-by-cyberattack-delaying-flights-during-year-end-holiday-season%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0544247/japan-airlines-hit-by-cyberattack-delaying-flights-during-year-end-holiday-season?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561483&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-26T05:45:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>japan</dc:subject><slash:department>tough-luck</slash:department><slash:section>it</slash:section><slash:hit_parade>0,0,0,0,0,0,0</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0333203/germany-joins-eus-ultra-low-fertility-club?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Germany Joins EU's 'Ultra-Low' Fertility Club</title><link>https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0333203/germany-joins-eus-ultra-low-fertility-club?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>Three more EU member states -- including the most populous, Germany -- have joined the list of countries with "ultra-low" fertility rates [non-paywalled source], highlighting the extent of the region's demographic challenges. Financial Times: Official statistics show Germany's birth rate fell to 1.35 children per woman in 2023, below the UN's "ultra-low" threshold of 1.4 -- characterising a scenario where falling birth rates become tough to reverse. Estonia and Austria also passed under the 1.4 threshold, joining the nine EU countries -- including Spain, Greece and Italy -- that in 2022 had fertility rates below 1.4 children per woman. The fall in birth rates partially reflects the "postponement of parenthood until the 30s," which involves a "higher likelihood that you will not have as many children as you would like because of the biological clock," said Willem Adema, senior economist at the OECD.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Germany+Joins+EU's+'Ultra-Low'+Fertility+Club%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fnews.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F26%2F0333203%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F26%2F0333203%2Fgermany-joins-eus-ultra-low-fertility-club%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0333203/germany-joins-eus-ultra-low-fertility-club?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561425&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-26T05:00:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>eu</dc:subject><slash:department>growing-challenge</slash:department><slash:section>news</slash:section><slash:comments>9</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>9,9,8,6,1,0,0</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0255257/apple-explains-why-it-doesnt-plan-to-build-a-search-engine?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Apple Explains Why It Doesn't Plan To Build a Search Engine</title><link>https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0255257/apple-explains-why-it-doesnt-plan-to-build-a-search-engine?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>Apple has no plans to develop its own search engine despite potential restrictions on its lucrative revenue-sharing deal with Google, citing billions in required investment and rapidly evolving AI technology as key deterrents, according to a court filing [PDF]. In a declaration filed with the U.S. District Court in Washington, Apple Senior Vice President Eddy Cue said creating a search engine would require diverting significant capital and employees, while recent AI developments make such an investment "economically risky." Apple received approximately $20 billion from Google in 2022 under a deal that makes Google the default search engine on Safari browsers. This arrangement is now under scrutiny in the U.S. government's antitrust case against Google. Cue said Apple lacks the specialized professionals and infrastructure needed for search advertising, which would be essential for a viable search engine. While Apple operates niche advertising like the App Store, search advertising is "outside of Apple's core expertise," he said. Building a search advertising business would also need to be balanced against Apple's privacy commitments, according to his declaration.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Apple+Explains+Why+It+Doesn't+Plan+To+Build+a+Search+Engine%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fapple.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F26%2F0255257%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F26%2F0255257%2Fapple-explains-why-it-doesnt-plan-to-build-a-search-engine%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/12/26/0255257/apple-explains-why-it-doesnt-plan-to-build-a-search-engine?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561403&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-26T02:56:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>apple</dc:subject><slash:department>where-things-stand</slash:department><slash:section>apple</slash:section><slash:comments>12</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>12,12,10,7,2,1,1</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/2232247/russia-bans-crypto-mining-in-multiple-regions-citing-energy-concerns?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Russia Bans Crypto Mining in Multiple Regions, Citing Energy Concerns</title><link>https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/2232247/russia-bans-crypto-mining-in-multiple-regions-citing-energy-concerns?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>The Russian government has banned crypto mining in ten regions for a period of six years, according to reporting by the state-owned news agency Tass. Engadget adds: Russia has cited the industry's high power consumption rates as the primary reason behind the ban. Crypto is particularly power-hungry, as mining operations already account for nearly 2.5 percent of US energy use. This ban takes effect on January 1 and lasts until March 15, 2031. The country's Council of Ministers has also stated that additional bans may be required in other regions during periods of peak energy demand. It could also go the other way. The ban could be temporarily lifted or altered in certain regions if a government commission examines changes in energy demand and deems it necessary.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Russia+Bans+Crypto+Mining+in+Multiple+Regions%2C+Citing+Energy+Concerns%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhardware.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F2232247%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fhardware.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F2232247%2Frussia-bans-crypto-mining-in-multiple-regions-citing-energy-concerns%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/2232247/russia-bans-crypto-mining-in-multiple-regions-citing-energy-concerns?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561267&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-26T00:30:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>power</dc:subject><slash:department>weighing-pros-and-cons</slash:department><slash:section>hardware</slash:section><slash:comments>45</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>45,45,36,29,7,0,0</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/2222227/porch-pirates-are-now-raising-the-price-you-pay-at-checkout?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Porch Pirates Are Now Raising the Price You Pay at Checkout</title><link>https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/2222227/porch-pirates-are-now-raising-the-price-you-pay-at-checkout?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>Lost deliveries, shipping delays and theft on the front porch have become such growing problems that companies are making consumers pay for package protection. From a report: Tens of thousands of online retailers now offer the service for a few dollars per order. The fees go to young companies -- Route and Corso, to name two -- that promise to make customers whole without charging the merchant if a delivery doesn't arrive. Consumers are finding that retailers either ask them to pay for package protection or draw a harder line when it comes to replacing a missing item. Some retailers are making the fees mandatory, spreading the burden of package theft among all customers. To know whether you are paying the fee, review your order before you press purchase. Sometimes it is named after the company offering protection, and sometimes it is called shipping insurance or package protection. Skincare brand Topicals began using Corso two years ago after seeing 30% of its packages were regularly marked delivered but not received, according to customer insights manager Deja Jefferson. By requiring protection, which Topicals discloses on its shipping page, the company doesn't have to worry about convincing customers to opt in. "We actually don't get any complaints on it whatsoever," she said. Further reading: Porch Pirates Steal So Many Packages That Now You Can Get Insurance.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Porch+Pirates+Are+Now+Raising+the+Price+You+Pay+at+Checkout%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F2222227%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F2222227%2Fporch-pirates-are-now-raising-the-price-you-pay-at-checkout%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/2222227/porch-pirates-are-now-raising-the-price-you-pay-at-checkout?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561257&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T23:01:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>business</dc:subject><slash:department>ruining-for-everyone</slash:department><slash:section>slashdot</slash:section><slash:comments>93</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>93,90,80,64,9,3,2</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/224231/microsoft-edge-takes-a-victory-lap-with-some-high-looking-usage-stats-for-2024?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Microsoft Edge Takes a Victory Lap With Some High-Looking Usage Stats For 2024</title><link>https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/224231/microsoft-edge-takes-a-victory-lap-with-some-high-looking-usage-stats-for-2024?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>An anonymous reader shares a report: Microsoft has published a year in review for its Edge browser and talked up AI-powered chats while lightly skipping over the software's stagnating market share. The company had some big numbers to share. There had been over 10 billion AI-powered chats with Copilot from inside the Edge browser window (although it did not disclose how many chats were customers asking how to install Chrome). Some 38 trillion characters had been auto-translated. Seven trillion megabytes of PC memory had been saved through the use of sleeping tabs. However, are those numbers actually as big as they seem? What Microsoft did not say is how little Edge has moved the needle on market share in 2024. Strangely, the company did not share raw usage information. Yet, a look at Statcounter's figures for browser desktop market share showed Edge with 11.9 percent of the market in December 2023 and reaching 12.87 percent by November 2024 -- an increase of less than 1 percent. The market leader, Google's Chrome browser, went from 65.23 percent to 66.33 percent in the same period. That's only slightly more than 1 percent, but it still maintains its dominance.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Microsoft+Edge+Takes+a+Victory+Lap+With+Some+High-Looking+Usage+Stats+For+2024%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F224231%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fit.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F224231%2Fmicrosoft-edge-takes-a-victory-lap-with-some-high-looking-usage-stats-for-2024%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://it.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/224231/microsoft-edge-takes-a-victory-lap-with-some-high-looking-usage-stats-for-2024?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561247&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T22:05:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>microsoft</dc:subject><slash:department>bending-reality</slash:department><slash:section>it</slash:section><slash:comments>15</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>15,14,13,11,3,0,0</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1911259/apple-is-not-losing-googles-billions-without-a-fight?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Apple Is Not Losing Google's Billions Without a Fight</title><link>https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1911259/apple-is-not-losing-googles-billions-without-a-fight?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>Apple may be worth one and a half Googles now, but the world's most valuable company needs its relationship with the world's largest search engine to keep clicking. From a report: Such was evident Monday when Apple filed papers seeking to participate in the penalty phase of the Justice Department's antitrust case against Google. The search giant lost that case in August and is now battling the government over what remedies are appropriate. The DOJ has a long wish list that includes breaking the company up, forcing Google to make key search and user data available to potential rivals, and stopping the payments Google makes to partners such as Apple. The payments to Apple alone now reportedly equate to about $20 billion annually, and make Google the default search engine on devices like the iPhone. Apple didn't confirm any specific amounts in its filing, but did say the company feels compelled to "protect its commercial interests." Analysts widely estimate that the payments from Google are nearly pure profit for Apple, given relatively little incremental cost to generate that revenue. For Apple, $20 billion is about 16% of the operating income reported for the company's fiscal year that ended in September.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Apple+Is+Not+Losing+Google's+Billions+Without+a+Fight%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fapple.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F1911259%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fapple.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F1911259%2Fapple-is-not-losing-googles-billions-without-a-fight%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://apple.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1911259/apple-is-not-losing-googles-billions-without-a-fight?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561151&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T19:11:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>google</dc:subject><slash:department>not-without-a-fight</slash:department><slash:section>apple</slash:section><slash:comments>17</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>17,16,14,14,2,0,0</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/173204/headlights-are-growing-brighter?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Headlights Are Growing Brighter</title><link>https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/173204/headlights-are-growing-brighter?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>Modern LED headlights are significantly brighter and more glaring than traditional halogen bulbs, creating dangerous driving conditions, lighting experts report. The newer lights produce an intense, concentrated beam that is bluer and more disorienting, particularly affecting older drivers. "Headlights are getting brighter, smaller and bluer. All three of those things increase a particular kind of glare. It's called discomfort glare," said Daniel Stern, chief editor of Driving Vision News.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Headlights+Are+Growing+Brighter%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F173204%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F173204%2Fheadlights-are-growing-brighter%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/173204/headlights-are-growing-brighter?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561095&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T17:03:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>transportation</dc:subject><slash:department>closer-look</slash:department><slash:section>technology</slash:section><slash:comments>143</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>143,139,117,106,18,9,4</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1611229/bret-taylor-urges-rethink-of-software-development-as-ai-reshapes-industry?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Bret Taylor Urges Rethink of Software Development as AI Reshapes Industry</title><link>https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1611229/bret-taylor-urges-rethink-of-software-development-as-ai-reshapes-industry?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>Software development is entering an "autopilot era" with AI coding assistants, but the industry needs to prepare for full autonomy, argues former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor. Drawing parallels with self-driving cars, he suggests the role of software engineers will evolve from code authors to operators of code-generating machines. Taylor, a board member of OpenAI and who once rewrote Google Maps over a weekend, calls for new programming systems, languages, and verification methods to ensure AI-generated code remains robust and secure. From his post: In the Autonomous Era of software engineering, the role of a software engineer will likely transform from being the author of computer code to being the operator of a code generating machine. What is a computer programming system built natively for that workflow? If generating code is no longer a limiting factor, what types of programming languages should we build? If a computer is generating most code, how do we make it easy for a software engineer to verify it does what they intend? What is the role of programming language design (e.g., what Rust did for memory safety)? What is the role of formal verification? What is the role of tests, CI/CD, and development workflows? Today, a software engineer's primary desktop is their editor. What is the Mission Control for a software engineer in the era of autonomous development?<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Bret+Taylor+Urges+Rethink+of+Software+Development+as+AI+Reshapes+Industry%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fdevelopers.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F1611229%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdevelopers.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F1611229%2Fbret-taylor-urges-rethink-of-software-development-as-ai-reshapes-industry%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://developers.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1611229/bret-taylor-urges-rethink-of-software-development-as-ai-reshapes-industry?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561055&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T16:10:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>programming</dc:subject><slash:department>makes-you-think</slash:department><slash:section>developers</slash:section><slash:comments>60</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>60,59,55,50,14,5,4</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/157235/fcc-rip-and-replace-provision-for-chinese-tech-tops-cyber-provisions-in-defense-bill?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>FCC 'Rip and Replace' Provision For Chinese Tech Tops Cyber Provisions in Defense Bill</title><link>https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/157235/fcc-rip-and-replace-provision-for-chinese-tech-tops-cyber-provisions-in-defense-bill?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>The annual defense policy bill signed by President Joe Biden Monday evening allocates $3 billion to help telecom firms remove and replace insecure equipment in response to recent incursions by Chinese-linked hackers. From a report: The fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act outlines Pentagon policy and military budget priorities for the year and also includes non-defense measures added as Congress wrapped up its work in December. The $895 billion spending blueprint passed the Senate and House with broad bipartisan support. The $3 billion would go to a Federal Communications Commission program, commonly called "rip and replace," to get rid of Chinese networking equipment due to national security concerns. The effort was created in 2020 to junk equipment made by telecom giant Huawei. It had an initial investment of $1.9 billion, roughly $3 billion shy of what experts said was needed to cauterize the potential vulnerability. Calls to replenish the fund have increased recently in the wake of two hacking campaigns by China, dubbed Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon, that saw hackers insert malicious code in U.S. infrastructure and break into at least eight telecom firms. The bill also includes a watered down requirement for the Defense Department to tap an independent third-party to study the feasibility of creating a U.S. Cyber Force, along with an "evaluation of alternative organizational models for the cyber forces" of the military branches.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=FCC+'Rip+and+Replace'+Provision+For+Chinese+Tech+Tops+Cyber+Provisions+in+Defense+Bill%3A+https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F157235%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftech.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F157235%2Ffcc-rip-and-replace-provision-for-chinese-tech-tops-cyber-provisions-in-defense-bill%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/157235/fcc-rip-and-replace-provision-for-chinese-tech-tops-cyber-provisions-in-defense-bill?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23561037&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T15:07:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>communications</dc:subject><slash:department>moving-forward</slash:department><slash:section>technology</slash:section><slash:comments>20</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>20,20,19,19,2,0,0</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1330200/elite-colleges-have-a-looming-money-problem?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Elite Colleges Have a Looming Money Problem</title><link>https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1330200/elite-colleges-have-a-looming-money-problem?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>They gave it the old college try, but America's elite universities are facing money problems partly of their own creation. From a report: It might not seem that way compared with the broader world of U.S. higher education. Ivy League institutions and a handful in a similar orbit like Stanford, Duke and the University of Chicago aren't just blessed to have international cachet and their pick of excellent students and professors -- they also have the most money and the richest alumni. By contrast, public and especially smaller private colleges and universities are cutting staff and programs. Many are closing outright. A school like Harvard, now well into its fourth century, will almost certainly survive for a fifth one. But there are financial problems below the surface that could emerge if the bull market stumbles and especially if some proposed Trump administration policies are enacted. Harvard's $53.2 billion endowment is so huge that the difference between a good and a so-so investment performance translates to sums that would dwarf most colleges' entire nest eggs. Former Harvard President and former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers estimated this year that if Harvard had been able to just keep up with other Ivies and "large endowment schools" in the past several years, it would have $20 billion more. For perspective, he says that just $1 billion could fund 100 professorships or permanently cover tuition for 100 students. But even Harvard's peer group isn't doing as well as it could. Veteran investment consultant Richard Ennis wrote this month that high costs and "outdated perceptions of superiority" have stymied Ivy League endowment returns, which could have been worth 20% more since the 2008 financial crisis if invested in a classic stock and bond mix.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Elite+Colleges+Have+a+Looming+Money+Problem%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fnews.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F1330200%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F25%2F1330200%2Felite-colleges-have-a-looming-money-problem%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/12/25/1330200/elite-colleges-have-a-looming-money-problem?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23560995&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>msmash</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T14:00:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>education</dc:subject><slash:department>how-about-that</slash:department><slash:section>news</slash:section><slash:comments>88</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>88,87,78,71,22,13,9</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2226248/in-maine-remote-work-gives-prisoners-a-lifeline?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>In Maine, Remote Work Gives Prisoners a Lifeline</title><link>https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2226248/in-maine-remote-work-gives-prisoners-a-lifeline?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Boston Globe: Every weekday morning at 8:30, Preston Thorpe makes himself a cup of instant coffee and opens his laptop to find the coding tasks awaiting his seven-person team at Unlocked Labs. Like many remote workers, Thorpe, the nonprofit's principal engineer, works out in the middle of the day and often stays at his computer late into the night. But outside Thorpe's window, there's a soaring chain-link fence topped with coiled barbed wire. And at noon and 4 p.m. every day, a prison guard peers into his room to make sure he's where he's supposed to be at the Mountain View Correctional Facility in Charleston, Maine, where he's serving his 12th year for two drug-related convictions in New Hampshire, including intent to distribute synthetic opioids. Remote work has spread far and wide since the pandemic spurred a work-from-home revolution of sorts, but perhaps no place more unexpectedly than behind prison walls. Thorpe is one of more than 40 people incarcerated in Maine's state prison system who have landed internships and jobs with outside companies over the past two years -- some of whom work full time from their cells and earn more than the correctional officers who guard them. A handful of other states have also started allowing remote work in recent years, but none have gone as far as Maine, according to the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison, the nonprofit leading the effort. Unlike incarcerated residents with jobs in the kitchen or woodshop who earn just a few hundred dollars a month, remote workers make fair-market wages, allowing them to pay victim restitution fees and legal costs, provide child support, and contribute to Social Security and other retirement funds. Like inmates in work-release programs who have jobs out in the community, 10 percent of remote workers' wages go to the state to offset the cost of room and board. All Maine DOC residents get re-entry support for housing and job searches before they're released, and remote workers leave with even more: up-to-date resumes, a nest egg -- and the hope that they're less likely to need food or housing assistance, or resort to crime to get by.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=In+Maine%2C+Remote+Work+Gives+Prisoners+a+Lifeline%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fyro.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F24%2F2226248%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fyro.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F24%2F2226248%2Fin-maine-remote-work-gives-prisoners-a-lifeline%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://yro.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2226248/in-maine-remote-work-gives-prisoners-a-lifeline?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23560651&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>BeauHD</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T13:00:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>crime</dc:subject><slash:department>life-changing-opportunities</slash:department><slash:section>yro</slash:section><slash:comments>46</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>46,44,40,36,11,4,0</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2219245/critics-not-fans-perpetuate-the-failed-second-album-myth-study-shows?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>Critics, Not Fans, Perpetuate the Failed Second Album Myth, Study Shows</title><link>https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2219245/critics-not-fans-perpetuate-the-failed-second-album-myth-study-shows?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>A new study reveals that the widely accepted "sophomore slump" phenomenon -- where a band's second album is perceived as significantly worse than the first -- exists primarily in professional critics' reviews, not fan ratings. Researchers suggest this bias stems from social conformity among critics, while fans provide more consistent and reliable evaluations across albums. "If every music critic has heard of a sophomore slump and everyone knows it happens, they might be convinced to over-apply it in their reviews," said Gregory Webster, Ph.D., the R. David Thomas Endowed Professor of Psychology at the University of Florida and co-author of the new study. "We suspect it's a kind of social conformity, which we see in a lot of social groups." Phys.Org reports: Webster and his co-author, University of Hannover Professor of Educational Science Lysann Zander, Ph.D., analyzed thousands of albums rated by professional critics and amateur fans. Both critics and fans said that bands' albums generally got worse over time. But critics were exceptionally harsh with the second album, which was an outlier in this downward trajectory. "It's only critics that show substantial evidence of a sophomore slump bias, whereby they are giving artists' second albums unusually low reviews compared to their first and third albums," Webster said. "Fans show no evidence of a sophomore slump bias." Webster and Zander expected that fan ratings would reflect a broader consensus about a band's true performance. Fans aren't pressured by the same social norms as professional critics. And with ratings from thousands of fans, the researchers could average across a large group to find more reliable ratings.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Critics%2C+Not+Fans%2C+Perpetuate+the+Failed+Second+Album+Myth%2C+Study+Shows%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fentertainment.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F24%2F2219245%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fentertainment.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F24%2F2219245%2Fcritics-not-fans-perpetuate-the-failed-second-album-myth-study-shows%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2219245/critics-not-fans-perpetuate-the-failed-second-album-myth-study-shows?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23560647&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>BeauHD</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T10:00:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>music</dc:subject><slash:department>mislead-by-critics</slash:department><slash:section>entertainment</slash:section><slash:comments>35</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>35,35,31,29,10,4,2</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2211202/nasas-parker-solar-probe-completes-historic-christmas-eve-flyby-of-the-sun?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>NASA's Parker Solar Probe Completes Historic Christmas Eve Flyby of the Sun</title><link>https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2211202/nasas-parker-solar-probe-completes-historic-christmas-eve-flyby-of-the-sun?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>NASA's Parker Solar Probe made a historic approach on Christmas Eve, flying within 3.8 million miles of the Sun at a record-breaking speed of 430,000 mph. It marks humanity's closest encounter with a star. Live Science reports: Mission control cannot communicate with the probe during this rendezvous due to its vicinity to the sun, and will only know how the spacecraft fared in the early hours of Dec. 27 after a beacon signal confirms both the flyby's success and the overall state of the spacecraft. Images gathered during the flyby will beam home in early January, followed by scientific data later in the month when the probe swoops further away from the sun, Nour Rawafi, who is the project scientist for the mission, told reporters at the Annual Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) earlier this month. Parker launched in 2018 to help decode some of the biggest mysteries about our sun, such as why its outermost layer, the corona, heats up as it moves further from the sun's surface, and what processes accelerate charged particles to near-light speeds. In addition to revolutionizing our understanding about the sun, the probe also caught rare closeups of passing comets and studied the surface of Venus. On Christmas Eve, scientists expect the probe to have flown through plumes of plasma still attached to the sun, and hope it observed solar flares occurring simultaneously due to ramped-up turbulence on the sun's surface, which spark breathtaking auroras on Earth but also disrupt communication systems and other technology. "Right now, Parker Solar Probe has achieved what we designed the mission for," Nicola Fox, the associate administrator for NASA Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., said in a NASA video released on Dec. 24. "It's just a total 'Yay! We did it' moment."<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=NASA's+Parker+Solar+Probe+Completes+Historic+Christmas+Eve+Flyby+of+the+Sun%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fscience.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F24%2F2211202%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fscience.slashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F24%2F2211202%2Fnasas-parker-solar-probe-completes-historic-christmas-eve-flyby-of-the-sun%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://science.slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2211202/nasas-parker-solar-probe-completes-historic-christmas-eve-flyby-of-the-sun?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23560631&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>BeauHD</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T07:00:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>nasa</dc:subject><slash:department>impressive-feats</slash:department><slash:section>science</slash:section><slash:comments>14</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>14,13,12,11,2,1,1</slash:hit_parade></item><item rdf:about="https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2054235/ai-beats-human-experts-at-distinguishing-american-whiskey-from-scotch?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed"><title>AI Beats Human Experts At Distinguishing American Whiskey From Scotch</title><link>https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2054235/ai-beats-human-experts-at-distinguishing-american-whiskey-from-scotch?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed</link><description>An AI system has outperformed human experts in distinguishing between American whiskey and Scotch, achieving 100% accuracy by identifying subtle differences in the chemical composition of the spirits. New Scientist reports: Andreas Grasskamp at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Germany and his colleagues trained an AI molecular odor prediction algorithm called OWSum on descriptions of different whiskies. Then, in a study involving 16 samples -- nine types of Scotch whisky and seven types of American bourbon or whiskey -- they tasked OWSum with telling drinks from the two nations apart based on keyword descriptions of their flavors, such as flowery, fruity, woody or smoky. Using these alone, the AI could tell which country a drink came from with almost 94 per cent accuracy. Because the complex aroma of these spirits is determined by the absence or presence of many chemical compounds, the researchers also fed the AI a reference dataset of 390 molecules commonly found in whiskies. When they gave the AI data from gas chromatography -- mass spectrometry showing which molecules were present in the sample spirits, it boosted OWSum's ability to differentiate American from Scotch drams to 100 percent. Compounds such as menthol and citronellol were a dead giveaway for American whiskey, while the presence of methyl decanoate and heptanoic acid pointed to Scotch. The researchers also tested both OWSum and a neural network on their ability to predict the top five odor keywords based on the chemical contents of a whisky. On a score from 1 for perfect accuracy to 0 for consistent inaccuracy, OWSum achieved 0.72. The neural network achieved 0.78 and human whisky expert test participants achieved only 0.57. The study has been published in the journal Nature Communications Chemistry.<p><div class="share_submission" style="position:relative;"><a class="slashpop" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=AI+Beats+Human+Experts+At+Distinguishing+American+Whiskey+From+Scotch%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F24%2F2054235%2F%3Futm_source%3Dtwitter%26utm_medium%3Dtwitter"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png"></a><a class="slashpop" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fslashdot.org%2Fstory%2F24%2F12%2F24%2F2054235%2Fai-beats-human-experts-at-distinguishing-american-whiskey-from-scotch%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfacebook"><img src="https://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png"></a> </div></p><p><a href="https://slashdot.org/story/24/12/24/2054235/ai-beats-human-experts-at-distinguishing-american-whiskey-from-scotch?utm_source=rss1.0moreanon&amp;utm_medium=feed">Read more of this story</a> at Slashdot.</p><iframe src="https://slashdot.org/slashdot-it.pl?op=discuss&amp;id=23560599&amp;smallembed=1" style="height: 300px; width: 100%; border: none;"></iframe></description><dc:creator>BeauHD</dc:creator><dc:date>2024-12-25T03:30:00+00:00</dc:date><dc:subject>ai</dc:subject><slash:department>data-distillery</slash:department><slash:section>slashdot</slash:section><slash:comments>66</slash:comments><slash:hit_parade>66,66,52,44,9,4,4</slash:hit_parade></item><textinput rdf:about="https://slashdot.org/search.pl"><title>Search Slashdot</title><description>Search Slashdot stories</description><name>query</name><link>https://slashdot.org/search.pl</link></textinput></rdf:RDF>If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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