Tech Know
Social media companies are trying harder to know which users are kids
Of the child safety measures agreed to in Meta’s landmark legal settlement, no category contains more detailed requirements than its commitments on age assurance — and for good reason. No matter how well the protections work, they are of little use if Meta can’t tell which users are kids. Determining which accounts belong to children […]
Need spiritual guidance? Gurus join chatbot trend as people turn to AI for answers
CHENNAI, India | When Kripa Vaidyanathan’s 27-year-old niece died in an Alaska car crash in 2024, her family in Chennai, India, felt shell-shocked. They questioned why this tragedy would befall them when they had such “immense faith in God.” Vaidyanathan, a yoga instructor, helped her grieving sister get face time with a high-profile guru who […]
One Tech Tip: How to keep your child’s tablets, laptops from becoming distractions from schoolwork
Tablets and computers have become crucial school supplies for many students. But the same devices children use to read text, write essays, solve math problems or research history projects can also offer distractions in the form of games, social media and web browsing. It can be a challenge for parents to figure out how to […]
Schools are starting to teach AI literacy. For many, that means helping kids see chatbots’ flaws
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. | Artificial intelligence chatbots have become the bane of teachers everywhere, but to prepare for the new school year, a group of educators in Charleston, South Carolina, packed into a high school auditorium and talked about inviting AI into the classroom. The teachers and principals watched as an instructor prompted an AI […]
OpenAI launches ChatGPT for Teens, promising a more age-appropriate chatbot
SAN FRANCISCO | OpenAI is launching a version of ChatGPT designed for teenagers — the first generation to grow up with artificial intelligence — who are already using it for schoolwork, questions about daily life and even companionship. The San Francisco-based company says ChatGPT for Teens, which launches Tuesday, is tailored for kids aged 13 […]
An ‘influencer’ degree? Colleges bet on content creator major as critics question its value
Ask a teen what they want to be when they grow up, and there’s a fair chance being an influencer is on their list. Digital media and the people who star in it have been cultural mainstays for teens’ entire lives, so creating social media, video or podcast content seems a natural, albeit nontraditional, career […]
The hidden politics of time: How clocks, calendars — and now-contentious time zones — came to be
NEW YORK | It flies. It heals all wounds. It can be of the essence, and it can be money. We thrill in the best of it, lament the worst. We’re warned not to waste it, since we can’t turn it back — even as we try to make up for when it’s lost. And […]
One Tech Tip: Hidden iPhone keyboard shortcuts to raise your texting and typing game
Texting friends, replying to a business email, tapping out some text for a social media post. We do a lot of writing on our smartphones, which are increasingly essential for our work and personal lives. But did you know about the many keyboard tips and tricks that can help raise your smartphone skills? If you […]
Zuckerberg manifesto sketches out Meta’s ambitions for world-changing AI technology
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg laid out a vision Monday of what he said artificial intelligence can do for the world, imagining a future where everyone has their own, all-knowing AI agent that strives to improve all aspects of their lives. Zuckerberg detailed his ambitions for the technology in a 6,500-word essay published online where […]
Some US adults are using AI for financial guidance but few trust it, Gallup poll finds
NEW YORK | Some U.S. adults are using artificial intelligence for financial guidance, but it’s far from the most trusted source of advice, according to a new Gallup survey conducted in partnership with Edward Jones, a financial services firm. About 1 in 5 Americans who have sought financial advice in the past year turned to […]