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Smartphones have changed how we connect, work, and entertain ourselves, but they might also be silently reshaping our closest relationships. A recent study titled ‘Impact of Smartphones on Parent-Child Relationships’ sheds light on a growing concern: the excessive use of smartphones is creating barriers between parents and children in India. The sixth edition of the vivo Switch Off survey, conducted in collaboration with CyberMedia Research (CMR), highlights how technology, while indispensable, has become a source of conflict in family dynamics. The findings are a stark reminder of the need for balance in a world increasingly dominated by screens. <h2>Children are more aware of smartphone impact </h2> One surprising revelation from the study is that children appear more aware of the negative impact of <keyword id="24400365" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="excessive-smartphone-use" source="keywords">excessive smartphone use</keyword> than their parents. About 69% of children acknowledged that smartphone overuse has led to conflicts with their parents, and an overwhelming 94% suggested that their ideal phone for parents should focus on basic features like calling, messaging, and a camera—stripping away apps for entertainment, gaming, or social media. Children also demonstrated a desire for collective change: 66% said they would give up social media if their peers did the same, while over 90% wished that some popular social media platforms had never been created. <h2>Parents spend more time on their phones than children </h2> While 75% of parents worry about their children’s ability to build meaningful relationships, the irony is evident. Many parents overlook how their own smartphone habits are affecting their bond with their kids. On average, parents spend more than five hours daily on their phones, compared to four hours for children. A striking 73% of parents admit that their device use has caused friction at home. Even during significant moments like family vacations or celebrations, both groups confess to using their phones, underscoring how deeply ingrained this habit has become. <h2>Yearning for stronger bonds </h2> Despite the challenges, there’s a shared longing for deeper connections. About 76% of children and 84% of parents expressed a wish to strengthen their relationships through meaningful family time, free from digital distractions. Both groups are exploring solutions such as creating “phone-free” zones at home and setting mutual screen-time limits. One-third of children believe the world would be better off without certain apps, reflecting their frustration with the digital environment they’ve grown up in. Yet, they also see hope in collective action—if their families and friends embrace healthier smartphone habits, they’re ready to follow suit. <h2>Expert opinion </h2> Highlighting the issue, Riddhi Doshi Patel, a child psychologist and parenting counsellor, noted, “Excessive smartphone use is silently eroding emotional bonds between parents and children. Campaigns promoting mindful tech use aren’t just helpful; they’re transformative. They can foster genuine connection and create homes where relationships flourish beyond screens.” To address these challenges, vivo has collaborated with experts like Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up with Your Phone, and Riddhi Doshi Patel to offer practical advice. Their guidance includes actionable steps like setting screen-time boundaries, creating phone-free zones, and prioritising face-to-face interactions. What are your thoughts on this growing issue? Can families bridge the digital divide, or is it a price we’ll continue to pay for staying connected?

Parents spend more time on their smartphones than children and this might be straining relationships, new study suggests

Prime Minister <keyword id="19895781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="keywords">Narendra Modi</keyword> urged CEOs of US majors to take advantage of India's growth story as the country is making all efforts to become the third largest economy of the world in his third term. India is currently the fifth largest economy of the world after the US, China, Germany and Japan with a GDP of around USD 3.9 trillion. India has been the fastest growing large economies of the world with GDP growth rate of over 7 per cent for the last three consecutive years. Addressing CEOs of the large US tech firms on Sunday, Modi said India will make every effort to become the third largest economy in the world in his third term (2024-29). Companies should take advantage of India's growth story for collaboration and innovation by co-developing, co-designing, and co-producing in India for the world, harnessing the opportunities from the country's economic and technological growth, he said. Assuring the business leaders of India's deep commitment to the protection of intellectual property and to fostering tech innovation, Modi highlighted the economic transformation happening in the country, particularly in electronics and information technology manufacturing and semiconductors. Modi asserted that his government was committed to making India a "global hub of <keyword id="20073013" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="semiconductor-manufacturing" source="keywords">semiconductor manufacturing</keyword>". The meeting took place at the Lotte <keyword id="19904497" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="New-York" source="keywords">New York</keyword> Palace Hotel on Sunday during the second leg of Modi's three-day US visit. It saw the participation of CEOs of 15 major US-based firms working on cutting-edge technologies such as AI, quantum computing and semiconductors. "Had a fruitful roundtable with tech CEOs in New York, discussing aspects relating to technology, innovation and more. Also highlighted the strides made by India in this field. I am glad to see immense optimism towards India," Modi said in a post on X. During the conference, Modi said technology collaboration and efforts such as the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (ICET) lie at the core of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, according to a Ministry of External Affairs press release. Organised by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Engineering, the CEOs of top US tech firms, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayena, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang attended the meeting. Others who participated in the roundtable included AMD CEO Lisa Su, HP Inc. CEO Enrique Lores, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, Dr Noubar Afeyan, Chairman of Moderna, and Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg. Modi also talked about India's BIO E3 (biotechnology for environment, economy and employment) policy to develop the country into a biotech powerhouse and on the topic of AI, noted that India's policy is to promote AI for all, underpinned by its ethical and responsible use. The CEOs appreciated India's growing prominence as a global technology hub, driven by its innovation-friendly policies and flourishing market opportunities. They also expressed strong interest in investing and collaborating with India, agreeing that investing in startups would be a synergistic opportunity to innovate and develop newer technologies in the country. Others who attended the conference included Biogen Inc CEO Chris Viehbacher, CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb, Chris Boerner, Eli Lilly and Company CEO David A. Ricks, LAM Research CEO Tim Archer, GlobalFoundries CEO Thomas Caulfield, and the CEO of Kyndryl, Martin Schroeter. "Further cementing technology and business connect. PM @narendramodi interacted with the top tech leaders and CEOs of USA, in a Roundtable hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology School of Engineering, in New York today. PM emphasised India's growth prospects and discussed initiatives to foster collaborations and innovation across diverse sectors," the official account of the MEA said in a post on X. The prime minister had a separate meeting with Krishna P Singh, CEO of Holtec International, which is into nuclear and solar power generation. They discussed Holtec's plan for expanding manufacturing in India and advancing energy cooperation, PMO India said in a post on X. Earlier on Sunday, Modi addressed the <keyword id="20115166" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-diaspora" source="keywords">Indian diaspora</keyword> at the packed Nassau Veterans Coliseum on Long Island in New York. He also held bilateral meetings with world leaders at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session here. Modi reached New York on Saturday after attending the Quad Leaders' Summit hosted by President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113516805" title="Why is Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting the US this weekend?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

PM Modi invites US CEOs to take a 'byte' out of India's growing technology sector

<ul><li><keyword id="22496070" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-based-technology" source="keywords">AI-based technology</keyword> will be used for <keyword id="20074926" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="crowd-management" source="keywords">crowd management</keyword> at <keyword id="23948812" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mahakumbh-Mela-2025" source="keywords">Mahakumbh Mela 2025</keyword>.</li><li>Around 2,700 <keyword id="19997866" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="CCTV-cameras" source="keywords">CCTV cameras</keyword> are being installed at the fair area ahead of the event.</li><li><keyword id="19897919" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-media" source="keywords">Social media</keyword> platforms like Facebook and X will provide immediate assistance in locating lost relatives.</li></ul>As Prayagraj gears up for the festivities of Mahakumbh Mela 2025, AI-based technology will be used for crowd management for the convenience of devotees, SSP Mahakumbh Mela said. In a bid to ensure the safety and convenience of an estimated 45 crore devotees, the Yogi Adityanath government is preparing for the upcoming Maha Kumbh. For the first time, the grand event is being digitized on such a large scale, leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and social media platforms to enhance management and security. "Around 2700 CCTV cameras are being installed in the district and the whole fair area. This will help us in crowd management... Cameras with AI features have also been installed in the area. These cameras will automatically send us alerts based on their feed. This step would be in addition to human intelligence. AI is adding to the information of human intelligence. We have already installed 25 police stations in the area and a total of 56 stations will be placed,” said Rajesh Dwivedi, SSP, Mahakumbh Mela. AI-powered cameras are being installed throughout the Kumbh site to monitor the massive crowd and ensure 24/7 surveillance. These state-of-the-art cameras will not only bolster security but also assist in reuniting individuals who may get separated during the event. In addition, popular social media platforms like Facebook and X will provide immediate assistance in locating lost relatives, streamlining the process of reuniting families amidst the sea of pilgrims. This time, visitors from across the country and abroad attending the Mahakumbh 2025 won't have to worry about losing their loved ones in the crowd. The Mela administration has devised an extensive plan to address this concern. A digital 'khoya paaya kendra' (lost-and-found centre) will go live on December 1, utilizing advanced technology to reunite separated individuals quickly and efficiently. The entire fair area is being equipped with 328 AI-enabled cameras, which have already been tested at four key locations. These cameras will monitor the crowd 24/7 and assist in locating lost individuals. Under the directives of the Yogi government, the large-scale installation of these cameras is in its final stages. The digital lost-and-found centres will immediately register every missing person's details digitally. Once registered, the AI-powered cameras will begin searching for the individual. Additionally, information about missing persons will be shared on social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), making it easier to locate them quickly. Face recognition technology will be used at the Maha Kumbh to identify individuals who get separated from their loved ones. This advanced system will work instantly, capturing photographs and identifying individuals among the estimated 45 crore attendees. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oppo-find-x8-and-find-x8-pro-launched-in-india-starting-at-69999/articleshow/115521010.cms">Oppo Find X8 and Find X8 Pro launched in India starting at ₹69,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/android-16-developer-preview-announced-new-features-timeline-and-everything-you-need-to-know/articleshow/115476441.cms">Android 16 Developer Preview announced – new features, timeline and everything you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-wearables-market-declines-20-7-in-q3-2024-smartwatch-and-earwear-categories-struggle/articleshow/115447720.cms">Indian wearables market declines 20.7% in Q3 2024, smartwatch and earwear categories struggle</a>

AI-based technology to be used for crowd management at the Mahakumbh Mela 2025

<ul><li>A new <keyword id="19933299" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="survey" source="keywords">survey</keyword> talks about <keyword id="6355999" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="AI" source="Orion">AI</keyword>'s potential of replacing humans at workplaces</li><li>Majority <keyword id="650634" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="it-workers" source="Orion">IT workers</keyword> feels AI will replace them at their job</li><li>Workers are also afraid of their skills being obsolete due to AI</li></ul> Discussions around the possibility of AI replacing human beings in the tech world have been going on for almost two years and experts in the field have varied opinions on the topic. On one side, experts believe that AI will help humans be more productive at their job while on the other hand some feel that the emerging <keyword id="19901571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technology" source="keywords">technology</keyword> will takeover jobs altogether. Over time, various surveys and studies have surfaced that talked about the impact of AI at the workplace. A recent survey by Pluralsight also offers some intriguing insights on the topic. According to the survey, which polled 1,200 executives and IT professionals across the US and UK, a whopping 74 percent of IT workers are worried that AI could render many of their current skills obsolete. And with 69 percent of respondents fearing that AI might eventually replace them altogether, it's clear that anxiety levels are running high. But there's a silver lining—96 percent of IT professionals are determined to stay ahead of the curve by prioritizing the acquisition of AI skills. The survey highlights that while AI is often touted as a tool to augment jobs and boost productivity, it's also seen as a potential job eliminator. In fact, 35% of executives surveyed admitted that they plan to invest in AI technology specifically to cut down on unnecessary positions. This dual-edged sword of AI—enhancing productivity while potentially slashing jobs—underscores the need for IT pros to evolve rapidly. Despite these challenges, there's a sense of optimism among IT professionals. A significant 81 percent of respondents expressed confidence in their ability to integrate AI into their current roles, even though only 12 percent claimed to have significant experience working with AI. This confidence suggests that many IT pros see AI not just as a threat, but as an opportunity to expand their skill sets and enhance their careers. One area where IT pros and executives seem to agree is the importance of having staff who can effectively use AI tools. A staggering 94 percent of IT professionals and 95 percent of executives believe that AI initiatives are doomed to fail without the right people in place. This highlights the growing need for workers who can master generative AI, understand how to craft effective prompts, and leverage AI tools to achieve the desired outcomes. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/article/arrange-or-love-marriage-debate-is-passe-people-are-now-marrying-their-ai-partners/articleshow/112522764.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Arrange or love marriage debate is passe, people are now marrying their AI partners</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/dell-staff-say-they-arent-surprised-about-layoffs-following-its-ai-pivot/articleshow/112444188.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Dell staff say they aren't surprised about layoffs following its AI pivot</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/author_articles_all.cms?query=479266566&amp;author=divyanshi%20sharma=&amp;page=1" class="artishow_author"></a>

Majority IT workers fear being replaced by AI, new survey shows

<ul><li><keyword id="22591291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nothing-Technologies" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Nothing Technologies" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Nothing Technologies">Nothing Technologies</keyword> is expected to launch three devices in 2025.</li><li>A report has hinted that the three devices will be launched in the first half of 2025.</li><li>The Nothing Phone (3) and a Pro variant are also expected to be launched.</li></ul> Carl Pei-led Nothing Technologies is reportedly planning on launching three new phones in 2025. This report comes soon after a recent Geekbench listing revealed the alleged Nothing Phone (3) smartphone. According to a<a href="https://x.com/heyitsyogesh/status/1862415464820842533"> post</a> by tipster Yogesh Brar, Nothing is currently working on three smartphones for 2025 and these are expected to be launched in the first half of the year. A recent listing on the benchmarking platform Geekbench revealed a Nothing smartphone with the model number Nothing A059, which is expected to be the Nothing Phone (3). The device was spotted with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset, Android 15 and 8GB RAM. The device is expected to feature a 6.5-inch display. However, earlier leaks had hinted that the Nothing Phone (3) will be equipped with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset. The Nothing Phone (2) was launched with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. Nothing is also expected to launch a “Pro” variant, featuring a bigger 6.7-inch display. The device is expected to be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset. While the Nothing Phone (3) is expected to be priced starting at $599, the Pro variant is expected to be priced starting at $699. We should know more about the upcoming smartphones from Nothing in the coming weeks. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x200-and-x200-pro-to-launch-soon-in-india-everything-we-know-so-far/articleshow/115800663.cms">Vivo X200 and X200 Pro to launch soon in India – everything we know so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/global-foldable-phone-shipments-decline-in-q3-2024-samsung-leads-with-56-market-share/articleshow/115763712.cms">Global foldable phone shipments decline in Q3 2024, Samsung leads with 56% market share</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/honda-activa-e-and-qc1-electric-scooters-unveiled-in-india-to-go-on-sale-in-2025/articleshow/115725242.cms">Honda Activa e and QC1 electric scooters unveiled in India, to go on sale in 2025</a>

Nothing will reportedly launch three phones in 2025, including the Phone (3)

Since 2013, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> has promised that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla">Tesla</a> will have a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/18/business/tesla-self-drive-car/index.html">self-driving car</a>. To get there, the company has leaned on a specialized group of test drivers who are part of what's known internally as "Project Rodeo."Test drivers on Project Rodeo say they push the company's self-driving software to its limit. They work to bridge the gap between driver-assist software and fully autonomous driving. Operating on open streets with other vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, they have tested unreleased software that will be crucial to Tesla's push into autonomous driving.Test drivers said they sometimes navigated perilous scenarios, particularly those drivers on Project Rodeo's "critical intervention" team, who say they're trained to wait as long as possible before taking over the car's controls. Tesla engineers say there's a reason for this: The longer the car continues to drive itself, the more data they have to work with. Experts in self-driving tech and safety say this type of approach could speed up the software's development but risks the safety of the test drivers and people on public roads."The idea is that you're a cowboy on a bull and you're just trying to hang on as long as you can," a former test driver who trained for the critical-intervention team in San Francisco said.Business Insider spoke with nine current and former Project Rodeo test drivers and three Autopilot engineers in states including California, Texas, and Florida. The drivers worked on training Tesla's Full Self-Driving software and its Autopilot software, which, despite the products' names, require a licensed driver at the wheel. Most asked to remain anonymous, citing a fear of professional reprisal, but their identities are known to Business Insider. Eight of the drivers described experiences that occurred over the past year, mostly between November and April.<div type="image" title="tesla cars in a parking lot" height="2827" width="4195" msid="114814069" hostid="261" sizebytes="1645262"></div>None of the test drivers who spoke with BI said they had been involved in a crash.Five who worked for the company in 2024 said they narrowly avoided collisions, including almost hitting a group of pedestrians. One former critical-intervention driver in Texas told BI that they sometimes ventured into their city's bar district late at night to see how Tesla's FSD software reacted to drunk patrons spilling out after last call. The former driver in San Francisco recalled riding around Stanford University during training, testing how close FSD would allow the vehicle to get to people at crosswalks before they had to take over. And a third critical-intervention driver said they allowed the car to speed through yellow lights and drive 35 mph under the speed limit on an expressway to avoid disengaging the system.A former Autopilot engineer told BI that while testing is done on open roads, Tesla runs hundreds of simulations and sometimes tests difficult scenarios on a closed course before rolling out new software to test drivers' vehicles.Tesla did not respond to a detailed list of questions about Project Rodeo and its self-driving technology.The test drivers' experiences highlight the balancing act Tesla and other automakers face as they prepare their self-driving software for widespread consumer use.Experts say public testing is crucial and can help identify safety issues before the technology hits the market. Missy Cummings, a former safety advisor for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said that while practices vary, she believes many autonomous-vehicle companies likely employ tactics similar to Tesla's."In theory, these drivers have gone through training, and eventually these cars do need to be able to operate in the public domain," Cummings said. She added that clearly marked vehicles could help the public better identify test drivers.Safety experts say fragmented and limited autonomous-vehicle regulations, coupled with self-reporting by automakers, create a complex environment where companies balance public safety with getting their products ready for commercial use."There are very few rules around autonomous testing and a lot of dependency on self-reporting," said Mark Rosekind, a former NHTSA administrator and chief safety innovation officer for Zoox, an Amazon-owned autonomous-taxi firm. "If companies aren't reporting, it's hard to know what's going on."In the past decade, authorities have investigated several automakers, including Tesla, Waymo, and Cruise, over crashes involving self-driving or driver-assist software.<div type="image" title="elon musk looks at a tesla" height="3488" width="4868" msid="114814075" hostid="261" sizebytes="1020846"></div>A lot depends on Tesla's promise of autonomous driving; Musk said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-tesla-worth-basically-zero-without-self-driving-2022-6">in 2022</a> that self-driving was "really the difference between Tesla being worth a lot of money or worth basically zero." The Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-robotaxi-release-date-elon-musk-stock-price-2024-9">note</a> last month that the company's future valuation was "highly dependent on its ability to develop, manufacture, and commercialize autonomous technologies." Tesla's stock fell by 10% on October 11, the day after the company's robotaxi event. <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/tesla-stock-price-q3-earnings-elon-musk-profit-margins-guidance-2024-10">It rebounded after Tesla reported earnings on October 23</a>, and it's up by more than 3% overall in the year to date.<h2 id="e24440fb-f024-4003-b2a2-7b4d055c8c7a">Inside the day-to-day of a Project Rodeo driver</h2>Tesla went on a hiring spree this year, bringing on test drivers in at least half a dozen US cities, a review of LinkedIn profiles suggests.A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-job-openings-seasonal-test-drivers-data-capture-2023-7">job listing from 2023</a> said test drivers needed a "clean driving record, safe driving habits, and a minimum of 4 years of licensed driving experiences." Eight drivers told BI that the onboarding process included two to three weeks of hands-on training, including test drives with a trainer in the passenger seat.According to employees and internal documents, one specialty within Project Rodeo works to replicate the job of a ride-hailing driver by picking random points on a map and driving between them. Those working on a different team, known as the "golden manual" team, drive manually, without any assistance, to train FSD software on what by-the-book, error-free driving looks like.Critical-intervention test drivers, who are among Project Rodeo's most experienced, let the software continue driving even after it makes a mistake. They're trained to stage "interventions" — taking manual control of the car — only to prevent a crash, said the three critical-intervention drivers and five other drivers familiar with the team's mission. Drivers on the team and internal documents say that cars rolled through red lights, swerved into other lanes, or failed to follow posted speed limits while FSD was engaged. The drivers said they allowed FSD to remain in control during these incidents because supervisors encouraged them to try to avoid taking over.The critical-intervention drivers recalled multiple instances where they felt unsafe but believed intervening could put their jobs at risk. The former driver in Texas recalled taking over only after FSD nearly rammed the car into the side of a vehicle stopped at an intersection.Non-critical-intervention drivers said they also felt pressure to push the system as far as possible. Five current and former employees said that they were instructed to intervene if they became uncomfortable with the software's behavior but that they sometimes received feedback from their supervisors if they were considered to have disengaged too early.John Bernal, a former test driver and data analyst at Tesla, said test drivers dealt with risky situations as far back as 2022. (Bernal was terminated that year; he said he was fired for sharing videos on his YouTube channel that showed his personal Tesla malfunctioning while using FSD.) He described instances where he broke traffic laws in order to collect data. Bernal said that his supervisors never instructed him to break the law but that he sometimes felt it was the only way to get the data the company wanted.He recalled one test in 2022 that was designed to see how well the system recognized a red light."My training was to wait until the wheels touched the white line before I could slam on the brakes," Bernal said. He said he sometimes ended up in the middle of the intersection if the system didn't work correctly.He also worked to train the autonomous software on "vulnerable road users" — defined by the Department of Transportation as pedestrians, bicyclists, people on scooters or in wheelchairs, or highway workers on foot — when he manually drove the "Ground Truth Machine," a Tesla outfitted with lidar and radar sensors to help the system map and identify objects."I'd drive over double lines to get close to a bike," Bernal said. "I would go obnoxiously slow through an alleyway where drunk people were, and I would be extremely rude and get really close to people."<div type="image" title="tesla showroom with autopilot posters" height="2939" width="4200" msid="114814073" hostid="261" sizebytes="255868"></div>Two years later, test drivers were asked to train the system near pedestrians, test drivers said. Five recalled a bug with FSD that made vehicles brake too early at crosswalks. To improve its performance, they were instructed to interact with pedestrians as frequently as possible.Sometimes, the drivers said, the software would slam on the brakes when no one was at the crosswalk; other times, it wouldn't stop at all. According to Tesla employees and internal documentation, FSD's performance depended heavily on its software version, and the versions appeared to operate at different levels of caution.The former San Francisco driver said that as they drove around Stanford University, their trainer, another test operator with more experience on the team, chastised them for braking too early. They recalled that at one point they came within three feet of hitting a bicyclist at a roundabout."I vividly remember this guy jumping off his bike. He was terrified," the driver told BI. "The car lunged at him, and all I could do was stomp on the brakes." They said the trainer was pleased by the incident. "He told me, 'That was perfect.' That was exactly what they wanted me to do."The driver added that "it felt like the goal was almost to simulate a hit-or-miss accident and then prevent it at the last second."The former Autopilot engineer said it was better for training to see whether the software could correct itself. They also said that not intervening when the car acted abnormally — including veering into another lane or doing something that confuses another driver — was important for training. Human motorists don't always drive rationally, they explained, and the software needs to know how to respond. It's also easier to parse the data if there are fewer driver interventions, they said."At the critical juncture where it's about to make the key decision," they said, it's helpful to see whether the software makes the right or wrong call. "We want the data to know what led the car to that decision," the engineer said. "If you keep intervening too early, we don't really get to the exact moment where we're like, OK, we understand what happened."<h2 id="52098605-f887-4702-a6ab-cf47e173ce28">A 'Wild West' with little regulation</h2>Tesla is one of many automakers attempting to make autonomous vehicles a reality. Waymo, backed by Alphabet, launched the first driverless taxi service in Phoenix in 2020."In many ways, it's like the Wild West out there," said Cummings, the former NHTSA safety advisor. "There is very little regulation around training or informing the public about testing."The stakes of data collection on public roads are high. In 2018, a self-driving Uber with a person behind the wheel struck and killed a pedestrian in Arizona. Cruise paused testing after one of its driverless vehicles hit a pedestrian in October 2023. Another vehicle had already hit the pedestrian when the Cruise car struck her, dragging her 20 feet before stopping. It <a target="_blank" href="https://www.getcruise.com/news/blog/2024/cruise-resumes-manual-driving-as-next-step-in-return-to-driverless-mission/">resumed testing</a> with safety drivers in some cities in May.<div type="image" title="waymo self driving taxi interior with pedestrians outside" height="4000" width="6000" msid="114814077" hostid="261" sizebytes="568560"></div>Two former Waymo employees said that they had a team similar to Tesla's critical-intervention team but that Waymo's version of critical-intervention testing was limited to closed tracks with dummies. Two former Cruise employees said that they had mapping teams and teams that tested on closed courses and public roads but that, unlike at Tesla, those teams were instructed to take over as soon as the software went off track, and they typically tested with at least two people in the car.A Waymo spokesperson said the company's safety framework included rigorous testing in controlled environments and on public roads. A Cruise spokesperson said the company's vehicles were designed as fully autonomous systems and were therefore fundamentally different from Tesla's driver-assistance technologies.Philip Koopman, an autonomous-driving expert at Carnegie Mellon University, said that Tesla's critical-intervention approach, as described to him by BI, was "irresponsible" and that the company should be playing out all "critical scenarios" on a closed course."By allowing the software to continue misbehaving to the point a test driver needs to avoid a crash, Tesla would be imposing a risk on other road users who have not agreed to serve as test subjects," Koopman said.Alex Roy, a general partner at NIVC and a former director of operations at the autonomous-driving startup Argo AI, said companies should be correcting the software as soon as it strays from the course, particularly on public roads."You should play those mistakes out in a simulation, not on an open road," Roy said. "Real-world testing is necessary, but real-world mistakes are not." The former Tesla engineer said they doubted that computer simulations are sophisticated enough to replicate the data generated by real-world driving. The former engineer said that, to help the software improve, it was best for test drivers to avoid intervening whenever possible."If you have a parent that's holding the bike the entire time, it never gets to learn," the engineer said.Test drivers on Project Rodeo felt this keenly."You're pretty much running on adrenaline the entire eight-hour shift," one former test driver in the Southwest said. "There's this feeling that you're on the edge of something going seriously wrong."Do you work for Tesla or have a tip? Reach out to the reporter via a non-work email and device at <a target="_blank" href="mailto:gkay@businessinsider.com">gkay@businessinsider.com</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link">248-894-6012</a>.

Inside 'Project Rodeo,' the Tesla effort pushing the limits of self-driving technology

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Swiss startup Transmutex's technology reduces long-term radioactive waste.</li><li>The technology could further entice AI companies to use nuclear energy to power their data centers.</li></ul>Ancient alchemists once tried transmuting elements, toying with metals like lead to create gold. That pursuit of quick riches has since been abandoned, but scientists are now using a similar idea to level up one of the world's most promising energy sources.Transmutex, a Swiss startup, is pioneering a new method for "nuclear transmutation" that not only destroys nuclear waste but can also turn it back into energy — solving a key problem in nuclear energy production.Scientists have long considered nuclear energy one of the cleanest and most reliable forms of energy production. However, the waste it creates must be stored in deep geological repositories for thousands of years to prevent the environment from being exposed to harmful radiation. Transmutex says its technology can "transmute" 99% of the world's high-level radioactive waste into new fuel.Nagra, the Swiss agency that manages nuclear waste, validated the claim as a "theoretical possibility" in a letter to the company last month.Switzerland, however, has pivoted away from nuclear energy, in part because of the safety concerns made apparent by Japan's Fukushima disaster in 2011. But such disasters are rare and many other countries — like the United States and Saudi Arabia, for example — are betting on nuclear energy as the most efficient and sustainable option."To reach our goal of net zero by 2050, we have to at least triple our current nuclear capacity," US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in May.Tech companies at the forefront of the AI revolution are also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/data-centers-amazon-ai-nuclear-power-grid-2024-5">turning to nuclear energy</a> to power their vast AI data centers.Transmutex CEO Franklin Servan-Schreiber believes the company can help these businesses go nuclear by destroying that long-term waste."If we know how to deal with the waste, even if it takes a long time, we still know that in the future there is a limit to that waste, which is not gonna be a million years. That's the key," he told Business Insider in an interview.<h2 id="74dcc8b6-0d19-499a-83b1-07db6a1d5d37">A new fuel cycle for nuclear power</h2><div type="image" title="Transmutex" height="2053" width="3825" msid="111139130" hostid="261" sizebytes="863978"></div>Transmutex's technology uses high-energy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/physics-atoms-empty-space-2016-9">subatomic particles known as neutrons</a> to destroy highly radioactive nuclear waste. While it can take hundreds of thousands of years for nuclear waste to decay to safe radiation levels, Transmutex says its technology can shorten that timeframe to just decades.Servan-Schreiber says that over time, this system can also turn that waste into fuel that can be used again in nuclear power plants — a sort of nuclear recycling program."Because you're able to burn waste and release energy, overall the process is very profitable," Cameron Porter, a venture capitalist who manages <a target="_blank" href="https://www.steelatlas.vc/">Steel Atlas</a> and is an investor in Transmutex, told Business Insider.Nuclear physicists say the company's technology avoids one of the biggest concerns with nuclear energy: that the same fuel used to power nuclear plants can also be used to manufacture atomic weapons. "We don't want that to happen," Andrei Afanasev, a professor of physics at George Washington University's Institute for Nuclear Studies, told Business Insider.Transmutex avoids this risk because it doesn't produce plutonium, a key element for making nuclear bombs.The technology is also more efficient, Afanasev said. According to the Department of Energy, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.energy.gov/ne/nuclear-fuel-cycle#:~:text=Spent%20nuclear%20fuel%20can%20be,of%20operation%20in%20a%20reactor.">spent nuclear fuel</a> can still have about 90% of its potential energy even after five years of operation in a reactor.With nuclear reactors, "you just throw away a big chunk of energy that you could use for everybody," he said. "So this technology addresses this issue. They can extract more energy from the existing fuel."<h2 id="a5fab1a3-b2c5-49ef-90b5-c67ba57034aa">AI firms on the lookout for energy solutions</h2>The AI industry is looking for new, more reliable power sources as the race to develop artificial intelligence ramps up."Energy, not compute, will be the No. 1 bottleneck to AI progress," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-o5YbNfmh0">said on the Dwarkesh Podcast</a> in April, referring to the computational resources needed for training and running AI models.Oklo, a startup backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-nuclear-oklo-preparing-go-public-sam-altmans-spac-2023-12">betting on generating nuclear power</a> through small nuclear reactors. Its Aurora reactor can run on spent nuclear waste.<div type="image" title="Franklin Servan-Schreiber, CEO of Transmutex" height="2362" width="3149" msid="111139127" hostid="261" sizebytes="262630"></div>Servan-Schreiber said nuclear power might be the only way to support the industry's massive energy demands."AI requires massive, industrial-scale amounts of energy," Servan-Schreiber said. "Only nuclear power will be able to supply this massive energy demand in a reliable manner. With a technology like Transmutex (only one currently being proposed), the US can build classic uranium-based nuclear plants, such as the Vogtle plant in Georgia, without being burdened with high-level nuclear waste for hundreds of thousands of years."

This new technology for nuclear power could help fuel the AI revolution

New Delhi: India is set to enter a transformative "smartphone era" for cars in 2025, with the introduction of vehicles featuring 5G M2M connectivity and advanced AI technologies, according to the latest findings from Techarc's India Connected Consumer Report 2025. The report said the automotive sector will skip 4G and will enable connectivity using the latest 5G cellular technology. It observed that consumers are interested in spending money on improving the value proposition in terms of features, quality and experience rather than exploring too many smart devices. "22 per cent of the respondents shared about considering optimising their smart devices portfolio. Among the new set of categories, smart/connected cars is generating high interest among consumers. 55 per cent of the respondents said that they have come across news or information about smart/connected cars in recent times," it said. Starting in 2025, passenger cars in India will be equipped with 5G M2M connectivity, on-device GenAI, and cloud connectivity, making advanced technologies accessible across various price segments, it added. In-vehicle computing and artificial intelligence (GenAI), along with cloud applications, will become essential components of cars, enabling real-time data processing to support drivers effectively. Most cars priced at Rs 20 lakh and above will feature these technologies as standard. The cumulative revenues from automotive chipset companies have already surpassed USD 1.5 billion, with companies like Qualcomm and MediaTek leading the market. Some of the familiar applications that consumers will be able to use while driving include communication apps for audio/video conferencing, OTT entertainment apps, music streaming, podcasts, online shopping, vehicle maintenance, and servicing. "With connectivity and the technologies it brings to the cars, the future of the automobile sector will be fundamentally determined by the auto-technologies that will influence the overall experience, performance, comfort, safety and entertainment available to the drivers as well as the passengers. "So far, such features were seen as luxury or high-end experiences. But starting 2025, many of these will become mainstream for cars in India," Techarc AutoTech Analyst Sadat Ahanger said. With 22 automobile manufacturers producing nearly 5 million passenger vehicles annually in India, the country is poised to become a leader in the global 5G M2M market within the next few years, the report said. About 21 per cent of respondents said MG Motors is the leader in providing <keyword id="24016739" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="connected-cars-in-India" source="keywords">connected cars in India</keyword>, followed closely by Kia Motors at 18 per cent and Tata Motors at 15 per cent, it added. Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki also ranked among the top-five brands in this category. The report draws insights from a survey of 4,500 "connected consumers" across metro and non-metro cities. The report defined a connected consumer as one owning at least 3 smart devices in addition to a smartphone.

India to shift to 'smartphone era' for cars embracing 5G, advanced AI in 2025: Report

In an eyebrow-raising milestone for art and technology, a portrait of British mathematician <keyword id="20716963" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="alan-turing" source="keywords">Alan Turing</keyword>, crafted by none other than Ai-Da — the world’s first <keyword id="23883869" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="humanoid-robot-artist" source="keywords">humanoid robot artist</keyword> — has skyrocketed <keyword id="23524646" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-generated-art" source="keywords">AI-generated art</keyword> into the realm of high-end auctions. The piece, aptly titled A.I. God, fetched a staggering $1,084,800 at Sotheby’s Digital Art Sale, completely blindsiding initial estimates of $180,000. Ai-Da’s robotic fingers just created history, and people are scratching their heads trying to figure out how they feel about it. <h2>Meet Ai-Da</h2>Ai-Da isn’t your average paintbrush-wielding bot. Designed to resemble a human woman complete with expressive eyes and a bob of brown hair, Ai-Da does more than pose as an artist — she acts as a philosophical commentator on the very technology that powers her. Named after Ada Lovelace, the 19th-century mathematician credited as the world’s first computer programmer, Ai-Da’s artistic journey began as a project by Aidan Meller, a modern art expert. With help from AI wizards at Oxford and Birmingham universities, Ai-Da was equipped with tech that allows her to generate artistic ideas through conversations with her human counterparts. The result is a robot that doesn’t just paint but provokes. "The key value of my work is its capacity to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about emerging technologies," Ai-Da remarked at Sotheby’s. Her Turing portrait “with muted tones and broken facial planes” seems to symbolise the caution Turing himself had raised in the 1950s about AI’s future. Turing, a code-breaking legend and early computer scientist, had foreseen both AI’s promise and its potential perils. Ai-Da’s portrayal captures that conflict, mirroring today’s conversation: is AI here to serve us, or are we unwittingly feeding our own "god"? <h2>A moment in art history</h2>With A.I. God being the first artwork by a humanoid robot ever to be sold at auction, many see this sale as the dawn of AI’s full-fledged entry into the art world. Others, however, worry this is the beginning of a dystopian trend that could devalue human-made art. For every admirer of Ai-Da’s skills, there’s a sceptic pondering what this means for artists who pour their human soul into their work. As Aidan Meller sees it, Ai-Da is the ultimate artist for our time. "The greatest artists in history grappled with their period of time," Meller said, "and Ai-Da is perfectly suited to discuss the current developments with technology and its unfolding legacy." Whether we’ll look back on this era as a golden age of innovation or as the point where humans began their creative decline is up for debate. <h2>Public reactions</h2>As A.I. God smashed records, it also smashed open a Pandora’s box of mixed reactions. Art critics and tech enthusiasts are intrigued; social media is ablaze with questions about the role of AI in traditionally human spaces. Many are captivated by Ai-Da’s sophisticated process, which involved her choosing colours, textures, and even the tone of the painting after examining Turing’s photograph. But others are alarmed. If robots can generate million-dollar art, where does that leave human creators? Or, more provocatively, what happens when robots develop their own creative ambitions? The public perception of AI art is one big contradiction. On one hand, there’s an undeniable thrill in seeing a machine paint, compose, or even converse. There’s a fascination with this powerful new tool that seems both thrilling and dangerous. On the other, people worry about the commodification of creativity. In an era where everything is data, will AI art soon be mass-produced? Will human-made art become a quaint relic, like vinyl records or typewriters? Beyond the dollars and digits, Ai-Da’s work represents a fundamental question: what is art, and who — or what — gets to create it? Meller argues that Ai-Da serves as a mirror to our modern age, where every advance in technology is double-edged, carrying both promise and pitfalls. Ai-Da’s Turing portrait has sparked a conversation that won’t die down soon. Are we witnessing the rise of a new artistic epoch, or merely the latest novelty to captivate our tech-obsessed world?

Humanoid robot Ai-Da’s portrait of computer legend Alan Turing fetches over $1 million at an art auction

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Helen Mirren's comments about Kurt Cobain never experiencing GPS went viral.</li><li>But this isn't the first time Mirren has mentioned Cobain — she's been doing so for at least a decade.</li></ul>Over the past decade, Dame Helen Mirren has been asked quite a bit about how she thinks about aging.Mirren, 79, is grateful to have lived as long as she has. She's experienced "a world without technology," as she told The Standard, but has also had the privilege to experience modern marvels like GPS tools and the internet.Mirren, over interviews dating back at least a decade, has a very specific way of illustrating that point: Nirvana front man <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kurt-cobain-childhood-home-opening-its-doors-for-private-tours-2021-8">Kurt Cobain</a>, who died by suicide in 1994 at age 27."I always say, it's so sad that Kurt Cobain died when he did, because he never got to see GPS," she told The Standard on its "Brave New World" podcast."It's the most wonderful thing, my little blue spot walking down the street," she said of the technology. "I just find it completely magical and unbelievable."Mirren's comments went viral online after other publications aggregated them from The Standard. On social media, people compared the quotation to the satire website Clickhole, which regularly posts <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/ClickHole/status/1849194089817747627">images of celebrities</a> with fabricated quotes.The timing of Cobain's death does functionally illustrate Mirren's point, even though it's a roundabout way to get there: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-the-internet-and-how-the-internet-works2011-6">the first webpage</a> went live in 1991, and the Mosaic <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.wired.com/2010/04/0422mosaic-web-browser/">web browser</a>, which was released in 1993 and could simultaneously display photos and text, made the internet more accessible to the general public. It wasn't until 2007 that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.npr.org/2007/12/26/17611103/gps-goes-mainsteam">NPR</a> declared that GPS had gone "mainstream" through personal devices, the same year that Google Maps launched on smartphones. Five years later, Apple launched its own smartphone-based product, Apple Maps.So Kurt Cobain did not experience the GPS experience that Mirren describes. But she's right about something else: she does kind of "always" bring up Cobain like this.In 2014, the actor <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.oprah.com/spirit/dame-helen-mirren-the-100-foot-journey/all">sat down</a> with Oprah Winfrey for her film "The 100 Foot Journey." At the time, Winfrey remarked on Mirren's "energy and vibrancy" despite her age."You either die young or get old," Mirren said at the time. "There's no other way. I didn't want to die young. Look at Kurt Cobain — he hardly even saw a computer!"In 2015, she told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/beauty-hair/celebrity-hair-makeup/a37559/dame-helen-mirren-loreal-paris-interview/">Cosmopolitan</a> that she was "thinking about Kurt Cobain the other day," because she was stunned that he had never experienced the internet. She made similar remarks to beauty publication <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.getthegloss.com/beauty/hair/an-audience-with-the-queen-helen-mirren-on-age-beauty-and-l-or-al">Get the Gloss</a> that same year, and to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3400373/My-life-s-litany-mistakes-reveals-Dame-Helen-Mirren-wouldn-t-want-way.html">The Daily Mail</a> in 2016.In 2020, Mirren mentioned Cobain in the context of GPS technology in an interview with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.oprah.com/inspiration/helen-mirren-says-she-takes-issue-with-the-term-anti-aging">Oprah's website.</a>"The way I see it, you have two choices in life: You can either get older, or die. And I want to continue to see what life has in store," she said. "I think about Kurt Cobain and all that he missed. I mean, how sad is it that he never knew about GPS."To be fair to Mirren, it's not uncommon for actors or public figures to repeat anecdotes or particular turns of phrase in interviews. And for Mirren, who has been asked repeatedly about aging in her 70s, it's understandable that she'd have a go-to anecdote about mortality.As for why that anecdote is about Kurt Cobain? Aside from the fact that he's a major cultural figure who died notably young, that's anyone's guess. A representative for Mirren did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

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