Robotics

Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images There are many stories of how artificial intelligence came to take over the world, but one of the most important developments is the emergence in 2012 of AlexNet, a neural network that, for the first time, demonstrated a huge jump in a computer’s ability to recognize images. […] More

Loti AI / ZDNETWith the rise of AI-generated hyper-realistic visual and audio deepfakes on the internet, prominent public figures and celebrities have raised concerns about how their likenesses are used without their consent to produce content. Loti AI, a deepfake detection firm, entered the scene in 2022 to help safeguard and protect public figures against AI-generated content and has now expanded its services. On Wednesday, Loti AI announced that its “human-first” likeness protection technology will be available to all users. Previously only offered to public figures and celebrities, the company will now provide tools to anyone interested in protecting their digital reputation. Deepfakes are videos, speech, or images in which the actor or action is not real but created by AI, making distinguishing between real and fake content challenging. Also: The best free AI courses and certificates in 2025Loti AI’s platform scans the internet daily for deepfakes, adult content, impersonations, unauthorized content, and even authentic images being misused. The firm’s likeness protection technology uses a custom-built filtering system to safeguard users’ digital identity by removing fake content with “four simple steps”: Step 1: Authorize – Users must complete a quick likeness check to verify their identities to ensure they are the person they claim to be. Step 2: Find – Users must provide scans of their face and voice for matching and identity protection. Step 3: Remove – Users choose what content they’d like removed from the internet, and Loti will conduct
automated takedowns.Step 4: Protect – Loti provides 24/7 monitoring, automated likeness protection, and weekly scan updates. Users can also opt to take down the fake content manually. According to the company, users who opted into its auto-takedown functionality saw a 95% takedown rate within 17 hours. Loti AI offers free and paid membership options on a rolling basis. To get started, potential users must sign up for the waitlist at lotiai.com/sign-up or download the Loti AI app on iOS/Android.  More

As its name tells you, customer relationship management, or CRM, software provides tools that businesses of any size can use to deal with customer relationships and interactions. Areas covered by CRM packages can include communication management and tracking; marketing assistance; lead and deal tracking; and financial analysis — all of which help businesses grow and optimize their sales channels.Also: The best remote access software: Expert testedIf you run a small business that needs a platform for managing sales leads and growth, investing in CRM software is an excellent idea. CRM suites not only provide a central platform for monitoring customer interactions, sales, and deals, they can also be used to automate some time-consuming processes, freeing you up to focus on your business’ core needs. What is the best small-business CRM software right now?The best CRM software for small businesses is HubSpot More

If you have a business with product inventory or that sells goods and services, Shopify should be on your radar. The platform makes it easy to build a digital storefront for customers, whether they’re buying in person, online, or via social or digital marketplaces. Shopify plans start at $29 per month, billed annually, with additional tiers at $79 and $299 per month. A more expensive plan comes with lower processing fees, greater shipping discounts, and additional staff accounts, so if you have a higher sales volume and more inventory, the savings could easily offset the increased annual fee. There’s also a $5-per-month Starter subscription for users who sell products via social, such as Instagram or WhatsApp. Shopify doesn’t have a fully free tier, but it does offer a three-day free trial followed by one month for $1, so you can try it out before you commit. Also: If you want your Amazon affiliate links to count, don’t do thisShopify’s website builder isn’t as intuitive to use or as easy to customize as some other platforms, and though there are nearly 240 themes to choose from, only a handful are free. There is a guided setup wizard for adding products, designing your storefront, and setting up payments and shipping, as well as basic AI tools for generating text and media for your site. If you need additional support to get up and running, you can hire a professional through Shopify’s partner directory.  All plans have unlimited bandwidth and storage, page caching, and an SSL certificate, as well as robust marketing and e-commerce features for both in-person and online sales, such as inventory tracking, point of sale, abandoned cart recovery, and email marketing. Shopify promises 99.99% uptime and 24/7 customer support via live chat if any issues arise. Shopify features: SSL certificate | 99.99% uptime | Basic AI tools | 24/7 customer chat support | Three-day free trial  More

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETApple recently launched its new entry-level iPhone 16e, with a three-year gap from the previous model giving the company time to implement a major refresh, including Apple Intelligence, an A18 chipset, a new cellular modem, a larger battery capacity, Face ID, and much more. Also: I found an Android phone that can convince iPhone users to make the switch – and it’s not a flagshipThe best part — it is all packaged into a $599 handset, sold for hundreds of dollars less than the base iPhone 16 model More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Blackview Tab 90 WiFi (2025) is on sale now for $142 on Amazon. It punches above its price point in terms of hardware. Expanded memory does need to be pushed to the max to get the best performance. –> Blackview, a brand primarily recognized for its rugged smartphones, has also […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways This super-thin, super-durable tool has a myriad of uses. These are priced well, with cheaper copies on the market, but you should avoid them because they’re not a patch on the originals. The only downside I’ve found is that I can’t seem to find the Mini Spudgers for sale on their […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The RingConn Gen 2 Air is a $200 smart ring, one of the first subscription-free and affordable smart rings I’ve tested. The battery life can survive up to eight or nine days of use, and the sleep data collection rivals Oura. The AI health partner feature is lackluster, and it’s essential […] More