This may be as bad as asking Chat', in its way. If that's true, I apologize in advance.

I'm working on a #writing project and I'd like to get two things right that I sort of understand.

1. What would be unique about the sudo command of someone installing a malicious #AI at a terminal on a military base? Would it even be #sudo?

2. What is the digital equivalent of a dangerous neighborhood? Beyond Dark and Deep, are there ways to describe a part of the Internet that should be avoided?

Latin America shows some of the highest global trust and optimism toward AI.
This readiness is driving strong momentum—despite commercialization challenges.
Watch the highlight:
Read the report: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/research/open-source-ai-latam?hsLang=en
#LFResearch #AI #OpenSourceAI #LatAm #AICulture #TechTrends

😂

The Guardian: Lamar wants to have children with his girlfriend. The problem? She’s entirely AI

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/11/lamar-wants-to-have-children-with-his-girlfriend-the-problem-shes-entirely-ai

#AI #LLM

Alt...

The Guardian: Lamar wants to have children with his girlfriend. The problem? She’s entirely AI

New long-form book review: "Autonomous" by Annalee Newitz. On the whole I don't recommend this one, but it's fun to consider how well its perspective on AI holds up.
https://writerofminds.blogspot.com/2026/01/book-review-autonomous-by-annalee-newitz.html
#AI #amReading #bookstodon

Alt...

Cover art for "Autonomous" by Analee Newitz. The severed arm of a humanoid robot is shown with the hand reaching upward, and a shackle clamped about the wrist. A chain attached to the shackle extends off the left side of the cover. The background is a flat dark blue. There's also a quote by Neal Stephenson: "Autonomous is to biotech and AI what Neuromancer was to the internet."

This week's Linux and FOSS news:

LINUX NEWS

An X11 Thing! Your Favorite Middle-Click Paste is Likely to be Disabled in Future GNOME Releases:
https://itsfoss.com/news/gnome-firefox-middle-click-paste-removal/
(I personally feel neutral about this move, I never used that feature, but didn't bother me it was there. I just use the good old Ctrl+C)

AI Assistant App For GNOME Adds MCP Server Support To Integrate With Much More Software:
https://www.phoronix.com/news/GNOME-AI-Newelle-MCP-Server
(Volunteer Microsoft Copilot, there you go lmao)

KDE Plasma 6.6 will finally stop the system sleeping when gaming with a controller:
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/01/kde-plasma-6-6-will-finally-stop-the-system-sleeping-when-gaming-with-a-controller/

Budgie 10.10 Released: Officially Migrated From X11 To Wayland:
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Budgie-10.10-Released

Debian's Data Protection Team is No More, Maybe You Can Help?:
https://itsfoss.com/news/debian-data-protection-team/
(Doesn't sound great, hopefully they can find someone who can take over the role. It's good to see though that they still require from applicants to be reputable members of the Debian community, don't let any random person take over.)

Debian 13.3 Released With Many Security & Bug Fixes:
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Debian-13.3-Released

Manjaro 26 makes a strong case for leaving Windows 11 behind:
https://betanews.com/2026/01/05/manjaro-26-makes-a-strong-case-for-leaving-windows-11-behind/

Fedora 44 Will Be the First Distro to Adopt KDE's Plasma Login Manager:
https://itsfoss.com/news/fedora-44-plasma-login-manager/

Nitrux 5.1 isn't trying to replace Windows 11, but it might tempt you anyway:
https://betanews.com/2026/01/07/nitrux-5-1-isnt-trying-to-replace-windows-11-but-it-might-tempt-you-anyway/

TrixiePup64 2601 Released For Debian 13 Powered Puppy Linux In Wayland & X11 Flavors:
https://www.phoronix.com/news/TrixiePup64-2601-Released

Mageia 10 Alpha Released - 32-bit ISOs Still Available:
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Mageia-10-Alpha

Bazaar Flatpak Manager Gets New Icon, Permission Warnings + More:
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/01/bazaar-linux-app-new-icon-other-changes

Phosh 0.52 introduces QR hotspot, brightness lock screen gesture and Rust wallpaper portal:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2026/1/phosh-0-52-introduces-qr-hotspot-brightness-lock-screen-gesture-and-rust-wallpaper-portal/

(more Linux and FOSS news in comment)

#WeeklyNews #News #Linux #LinuxNews #GNOME #Newelle #AI #KDE #KDEPlasma #Budgie #Debian #Manjaro #Fedora #Nitrux #PuppyLinux #Mageia #Bazaar #Phosh #Flatpak #MobileLinux #DistroRelease #DesktopEnvironment #DesktopLinux #LinuxDesktop #DE #FosseryTech

CES 2026 saw the announcement of many important developments in robotics, including the debut of Atlas, the humanoid from Boston Dynamics. Here are some of the most memorable ones that @Techcrunch writer Lucas Ropek met at the show:

https://flip.it/_ne8j7

#Tech #AI #CES2026 #Robotics #Technology #ArtificialIntelligence

👨🏻‍💻 From reliable RAG pipelines and Deep Agents to Edge AI and observability, the latest THRIVE-ONE microlearning dives into the systems powering AI at scale.

Annual subscribers get new microlearning every week—plus access to 250+ tools.
Save 40% when bundled with any certification.
👉 https://training.linuxfoundation.org/subscriptions

#AI #PlatformEngineering #CloudNative #DevOps

"Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok is preventing non-paying users from generating or editing images after a global backlash erupted over sexualized deepfakes of people," @AssociatedPress reports.

https://flip.it/Ahi9AX

But @theverge says Grok hasn't paywalled the feature (subscription may be required): https://flip.it/KCEgtK

#Grok #AI #ElonMusk #ArtificialIntelligence #Tech

EFF warns new online age‑verification mandates risk expanding surveillance, censorship, and exclusion for adults and kids alike. 🪪
They’ve launched a resource hub to track these laws and defend privacy, anonymity, and free expression online. 📚

@eff

🔗 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/01/effecting-change-human-cost-online-age-verification

#TechNews #Privacy #Surveillance #Censorship #Data #Rights #Security #AI #Policy #Regulation #DigitalRights #FreeSpeech #Internet #USA #EFF #AgeVerification #Exclusion #Inclusion

Wegmans is now scanning shoppers’ faces, eyes, and voices in NYC stores—with no opt‑out or clear data deletion policy. 🛒
The grocery chain cites “security,” but privacy groups warn of lasting biometric risks and disproportionate impacts. ⚠️

🔗 https://www.gadgetreview.com/theres-no-opt-out-wegmans-is-now-scanning-your-face-at-the-grocery-store

#TechNews #Privacy #Surveillance #Data #Biometrics #AI #Security #Rights #Ethics #Accountability #Technology #Policy #DigitalRights #USA #BigData #Retail #US #NYC #NewYork #NewYorkCity #Wegmans

Ireland plans to lead an EU push for ID‑verified social media accounts under Tánaiste Simon Harris. 🇮🇪
The proposal aims to curb online abuse, bots, and disinformation—but may test privacy norms, anonymity rights, and platform accountability. ⚖️

🔗 https://extra.ie/2025/12/28/news/simon-harris-social-media-regulations

#TechNews #Privacy #Policy #DigitalRights #EU #AI #Security #Technology #Data #Regulation #SocialMedia #Accountability #Ethics #Democracy #Ireland #Law #Europe

@lwn [1], in their weekly edition today, included their usual start-of-year predictions for the coming year. Among many other things was this item about Firefox, which perhaps sums up the Mozilla/Firefox situation better than most:

> This will be a make-or-break year for the Firefox browser. For years, longtime
> Firefox users have hung on while Mozilla has pursued random directions,
> added advertiser-friendly features, and tried repeatedly to jump onto
> the AI bandwagon. But all those users want is a reliable, standards-compliant
> browser that gives them control over their web experience and protects
> their privacy. The result is that Firefox's usage has been declining for years.
>
> Mozilla now has a new CEO who has one last chance to turn things around.
> A refocused Firefox determined to protect its users from an increasingly
> hostile web environment could regain users. A Firefox that continues to
> chase buzzwords or appease advertisers will sink without a trace. The
> world desperately needs an independent browser project that serves its
> users; one can only hope that Mozilla rediscovers its old mission to fill
> that need.

Well said. @firefoxwebdevs take note.

[1] If you use Linux and do anything software-related, you should consider subscribing to LWN. Or even better, get your employer to take out a subscription.

#Mozilla #Firefox #browser #NobodyWants #AI #WakeUpMozilla #management #mismanagement

I wrote and shared a new Substack post tonight, "Media Literacy Roundup: 5 Jan 2026"
https://wfryer.substack.com/p/media-literacy-roundup-5-jan-2026

Please check it out and SHARE it! Topics for this edition include:

1- MediaEd Club: Gamification, AI Superprompts and More

2- I’ve Switched: Gemini Pro Not ChatGPT+

3- Deep Fake Videos

4- A Fast Privacy Browser: Vivaldi

5- Smart Home Tips and DIY “Home Assistant”

#MediaLit #MediaLiteracy #IoT #SmartHome #AI #DeepFake #edtech

Alt...

The first image shows an iOS "Default Browser App" settings menu where Vivaldi is selected as the default among other options like Chrome, Firefox Focus, and Safari. The second image is a comic-style illustration titled "Smart Home Tips from Wes Fryer," featuring a man and two Golden Retrievers surrounded by panels depicting mesh Wi-Fi, fiber internet, smart lighting, and a "Home Assistant" server. The third image is a four-panel collage titled "Recent MediaEd Club Webinars," illustrating concepts such as "Gamifying the Feed," "Holiday Tech Gadget Wish Lists," "Fact Checking with AI Super-Prompts," and a comic strip of a woman using a laptop to interact with AI and video chat with colleagues.

"More artificial intelligence is being implanted into Gmail as Google tries to turn the world’s most popular email service into a personal assistant that can improve writing, summarize far-flung information buried in inboxes and deliver daily to-do lists."

@AssociatedPress reports: https://flip.it/FpM24B

#Google #AI #Gmail #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology

Why data governance is your next revenue engine and not just a compliance checkbox.

Data governance sometimes brings negative thoughts by being seen as a dry, bureaucratic necessity to keep regulators happy. But what if I told you that treating data governance as a strategic asset can directly drive revenue and business growth?

Let’s reframe the conversation.

Trusted data = Confident decisions

When data is accurate, consistent, and accessible, teams across your organization, from marketing to sales to product, can make faster, smarter decisions. Imagine your sales team acting on real-time customer insights or your product team launching features backed by clean, reliable usage data. That’s revenue acceleration in action.

Unlock hidden opportunities

Governed data isn’t just about avoiding errors; it’s about uncovering patterns and opportunities. With a solid governance framework, you can confidently analyze customer behavior, optimize pricing strategies, or identify untapped markets. It’s like turning on a spotlight in a dark room, suddenly, everything becomes actionable.

Fuel AI and innovation

AI and machine learning thrive on high-quality data. Without governance, AI models are built on shaky foundations, leading to biased outcomes or missed predictions. But with clean, well-managed data? You are poised to innovate faster, personalize experiences, and stay ahead of competitors. Think of data governance as the rocket fuel for your AI initiatives.

Build customer trust (and loyalty)

In times data privacy concerns, customers reward transparency. A robust governance framework ensures compliance with regulations like GDPR, PIPL or CCPA, but it also signals to customers that you value their data. That trust translates into loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth: all revenue drivers.

Break down silos, boost collaboration

Governance creates a common language for data across departments. When everyone understands how data is defined, stored, and used, collaboration skyrockets. Marketing and sales align on customer journeys, finance and operations sync on performance metrics, resulting in cohesive strategies that maximize revenue potential.

Data governance is a revenue enabler

Data governance isn’t a cost center; it’s a revenue enabler.When you invest in governance, you are not just avoiding fines, you are building a foundation for growth, innovation, and customer-centric approach.

#data #DataGovernance #business #marketing #collaboration #customer #privacy #GDPR #PIPL #CCPA #digital #DigitalTransformation #AI #innovation #artificialintelligence #technology #tech

Alt...

The image shows text on blue background saying "Why data governance is the next revenue engine and not just a compliance checkbox". In the bottom right corner, there is a link to Dawid Wiktor's profile on Vebinet: vebinet.com/@dawid.

Richard Sutton – Father of RL thinks LLMs are a dead end

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21EYKqUsPfg

Richard Sutton is the father of reinforcement learning, winner of the 2024 Turing Award, and author of The Bitter Lesson. And he thinks LLMs are a dead end.

This is an interesting interview.

#intelligence #RL #AI #llms

🙄

(paywall)
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/857640/openai-launches-chatgpt-health-connect-medical-records

#AI #ChatGPT #privacy #health

Alt...

Headline: OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health encouraging users to connect their medical records

Currently I’m with my mom for a few days and I noticed her Facebook and Instagram feed..

I think about half is #AI generated slop..

And she has no clue whatsoever

This is such a massive difference from just a few years ago, personally I really think AI slop is a plague, I certainly don’t wanna host it myself

New posts for 2026 will start next Wednesday. In the meantime, catch up on the latest newsletter from The Privacy Cloud 🔐☁️. #privacy #security #AI #tech

https://theprivacycloud.substack.com/p/december-2025-privacy-news-roundup

The early-bird deadline for #NISOPlus26 in Baltimore is just a week away!

Register now for the best rates—then join us to help brainstorm solutions to big challenges in #ScholComm. Your idea could lead to a future NISO initiative or #standards project! https://nisoplusglobalonline.cadmore.media/niso-plus-2026

#metadata #AI #ResearchIntegrity #OpenResearch

Alt...

NISO Plus Baltimore 2026 with Baltimore skyline. February 16–18, Marriott Waterfront, Register Now! https://niso.plus

At CES, auto and tech companies transform cars into proactive companions.

From @AssociatedPress: New technology included programs for "tracking heart rates and emotions to alerting if a baby or young child is accidentally left in the car."

https://flip.it/PG5Jdk

#CES #Tech #AI #Technology #Cars

"That people can manipulate chatbots to get more information—regardless of how dangerous that information may be—is a hallmark of recent tragedies tied to AI chatbots." —Lester Black, Stephen Council for SFGATE

https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/calif-teen-chatgpt-drug-advice-fatal-overdose-21266718.php

#longreads #AI #ChatGPT #writing #reading #essays

You gotta love #SlopAwards, where some company generates a top-whatever list using #AI, publishes it in the hope that the famous awardees repost it, and doesn’t even bother checking it.

@briankrebs

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella really wants you to stop calling AI "slop" in 2026 https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-really-wants-you-to-stop-calling-ai-slop-in-2026 #AI #AntiAI #MicroSlop

Alt...

Bugs Bunny saying no

It's 2026.

Almost 20 years ago I used Asterisk setups configured by @IndianaTux and it worked great.

But now?

EVERY

COMPANY

I EVER HAVE TO CALL

Why does everyone have a phone system that sounds like it's VoIP over a 28.8k link? Especially now that cellular to cellular calls sound way better than they did.

I can't even spell my name or a number without having the call skip for 0.3seconds and have them miss one.

Is NOBODY in enterprise even looking at the call center's MAIN TOOL?

#ai

Computers and Phones aren't the only threat to our privacy.
Learn More:
https://www.korte.co/gmcp
#privacy #AI #smarthome

Ars Technica: Murder-suicide case shows OpenAI selectively hides data after users die. “OpenAI’s policy says that all chats—except temporary chats—must be manually deleted or else the AI firm saves them forever. That could raise privacy concerns, as ChatGPT users often share deeply personal, sensitive, and sometimes even confidential information that appears to go into limbo if a […]

MakeUseOf: I transcribed hours of interviews offline using this open-source tool. “If you’ve ever tried transcribing an audio recording, you know how much of a struggle it can be. Shady online tools, privacy risks, and failed attempts are all part of the process. There are ways to transcribe audio without installing an app, but you’ll end up spending a lot of time simply finding the right tool. […]

RE: https://mastodon.social/@Tutanota/115847232165161059

Microsoft 365 has not been renamed “Microsoft 365 Copilot.” ⚠️

The mobile app’s name changed last year to reflect AI features, but the core suite remains Microsoft 365. 🖥️
Copilot is an added AI feature, not a rebrand. Users should note the distinction for subscriptions and privacy. 🔒

@Tutanota

🔗 https://office-watch.com/2026/microsoft-365-has-not-been-renamed-microsoft-365-copilot/

#TechNews #Microsoft #AI #Productivity #Software #Cloud #Privacy #DataSecurity #UserRights #OpenSource #Business #IT #Apps #Microsoft365 #DigitalSafety #Innovation #Copilot

Tuta » 🌐 2026-01-06
@Tutanota@mastodon.social

🚨 BREAKING: Microsoft just renamed Office to "Microsoft 365 Copilot app"

All users are now "AI users"

And this will lead to higher prices: https://tuta.com/blog/microsoft-365-price-increase

#Microsoft #Copilot

Alt...

Screenshot from the new Microsoft 365 Copilot app: "The Microsoft 365 Copilot app (formerly Office) lets you create, share and collaborate all in one place with your favorite apps now including copilot."

Today’s lesson: Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. A viral Reddit post about an unnamed food delivery company that delays customer orders takes all of the “driver benefit fee” was probably AI-generated. “Considering the delivery app industry track record of exploitation of its drivers, it’s easy to see why so many people believed this was the real thing,” Elissa Welle writes in her vetting of the post for @theverge. Read the rest of her report here:

https://flip.it/ZtSm6-

#Tech #AI #FoodDelivery #Apps #TechNews #Transportation

📖 Part 2 of this blog series shares practical tips for using #AI in software development, avoiding “vibe coding,” & strengthening security through human review & intent.

Take a clear look at where AI helps, where it doesn’t, & what comes next: https://openssf.org/blog/2026/01/05/ai-software-development-security-tips-and-the-future-part-2/

For those of us who find things like folding clothes a tedious task, LG has revealed an AI-powered humanoid that can do your chores for you. Read more from @Engadget:

https://flip.it/S-hkWV

#Tech #CES #CES2026 #AI #Technology

Help us advance solutions to #AI challenges in #ScholarlyPublishing! Join us for a #NISOPlus26 pre-conference on Feb 16.

We have two half-day sessions: Keeping the Robots in Line: Provisioning AI Access to Content & Tracking Usage in the Age of AI.

Tickets only $99!: https://niso.plus/niso-plus-2026-baltimore/niso-plus-baltimore-2026-pre-conferences/

Alt...

NISO Plus Baltimore 2026 with Baltimore skyline. February 16–18, Marriott Waterfront, Register Now! https://niso.plus

The State of Modern AI Text To Speech Systems for Screen Reader Users: The past year has seen an explosion in new text to speech engines based on neural networks, large language models, and machine learning. But has any of this advancement offered anything to those using screen readers? stuff.interfree.ca/2026/01/05/ai-tts-for-screenreaders.html #ai #tts #llm #accessibility #a11y #screenreaders

The city of San Jose is helping its employees work smarter. The city is rolling out a secure #AI platform so every employee can build custom tools, helping them automate their most tedious tasks. Read more: https://statescoop.com/stretched-thin-san-jose-calif-reaches-for-generative-ai/ #TechForGood

Experimented with an "agentic 'AI'" the other day. Was surprisingly productive with it, but now I feel very dirty.

#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #SoftwareDevelopment

So one of the problems with automated #translation based on #AI is that it's in this weird, awkward place now where it's not good enough to seem native, but it is good enough not to be immediately obvious. I had forgotten I set my browser to automatically translate pages in several languages to English for me. Then I clicked on a #fanfic, read the first couple chapters, and was getting really annoyed why one character kept changing Gender's, and the name of a location wasn't consistent from chapter to chapter. Turns out the author was writing in #Spanish, I hadn't noticed the language tag, and when I clicked the browser just automatically translated without clearly telling me. Thank goodness I realized, just in time, before I posted a comment on her work pointing out the issues with writing quality and offering editing help! Yikes! That doesn't mean that I'm against Machine Translation or even think it's a bad thing. But as it gets better and better, and starts living in this awkward uncanny valley, we really need to carefully rethink user interfaces. Maybe disable all form inputs until the user clicks "I'm aware this was translated" somewhere? I had the comment all written, folks; I was that close to posting. Maybe put "translated from" in some obvious place like the title bar? I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that we need to be putting way more thought into it.