Numerous Global Networks Prevented From Manipulating And Abusing ChatGPT, OpenAI Confirms

Tech giant OpenAI is shedding light on how it was able to counteract several different covert operations designed to abuse and influence its ChatGPT models.

The company mentioned how several attempts arose between the 2023 and 2024 period and most of those were said to have been Russian, Iranian, Chinese, or Israeli in origin.

Their objective was designed to enhance engagement from global audiences due to the manipulative behavior being embedded in the popular AI tool, it confirmed.

From the start of this month, the campaigns didn’t seem to have increased any form of audience engagement or attained reach for these services. But OpenAI added how it was working closely with several members of the industry like those from the tech world, government, or civil services to prevent such behavior from arising

The news comes during a time when many experts are casting doubts over the capabilities of Generative AI and how it can end up doing more harm than good. And with the elections period above us all, this means doubtful results taking center stage.

The findings were made public by OpenAi including how several actors made intricate attempts to impact the workings of its popular chat assistants to attain their own gains. It’s not only text that was modified but even images and it arose in higher volumes than what was seen before.

Meanwhile, fake engagement was running high due to attempts to use AI to produce inaccurate and false comments throughout posts generated across social media.

In the past year or so, there’s been plenty of doubt cast on this front including what could possibly take place if such influential campaigns did begin.

During a recent press briefing, OpenAI experts claimed that such reports are eye-openers and lead to many questions getting generated including how loopholes must be filled to better comprehend what’s taking place.

An operation from Russa dubbed Doppelganger made use of the firm’s models to produce headlines for several stories and convert media pieces to posts on popular social media sites. This resulted in more engagement and room for comments in different languages to defer support for controversial topics like Ukraine and Russia’s war against it.

Another shocking report spoke about campaigns to debug codes for popular texting app Telegram which rolled out short comments from the world of politics in various languages.

As per the role of Chinese actors, they managed to produce influential posts for Meta’s Facebook and Instagram and used models to search for more similar activities and roll out texts in various languages on social media.

Similar behavior was noted by the makers of ChatGPT in Iran where the International Union of Virtual Media made use of AI to roll out content that appealed to various global communities.

The disclosure by OpenAi is very much like the ones made by various other tech giants that get published routinely.

For example, we saw Meta roll out a new report regarding coordinated behavior where Iran’s marketing companies made use of false accounts across Facebook to carry out influential campaigns across the app and target those in various regions including Asia, EU, Canada, and the US.

While Meta confirmed that it had worked hard to disband the situation, it wouldn’t be wrong to add how such activities keep arising despite the firm’s continuous efforts to put an end to them, once and for all.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: HP, Apple, And Dell Dominate U.S. Laptop Market; Notable Shares Held By Acer, Lenovo, Samsung, Microsoft
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

HP, Apple, And Dell Dominate U.S. Laptop Market; Notable Shares Held By Acer, Lenovo, Samsung, Microsoft

In 2024, the landscape of laptop brands preferred by Americans shows some interesting trends. HP leads as the most popular choice, found in 32% of households surveyed. Apple follows suit, with MacBooks being used in 28% of households. Dell holds the third spot, preferred by 24% of the surveyed households, completing the top three most popular brands.

Other significant players in the market include Acer, Lenovo, Samsung, and Microsoft. Each of these brands has a notable share, with ownership ranging from 10-14% in American households. The presence of these brands indicates a diverse competition in the sector.

Further down the list, ASUS, Toshiba, Alienware, DigitalStorm, Falcon, Huawei and Vaio also have their shares. These brands show percentages ranging from 1 to 9% reflecting a niche, but dedicated user base. Each brand brings something unique to the table, attracting different segments of consumers.

In terms of market growth, the research firm Technavio predicts a steady rise in the global laptop market. From 2024 to 2028, they expect an average growth rate of 3.2%. A significant part of this growth, around 42% is projected to come from North America. This suggests a strong and expanding market for laptop manufacturers in the region.

An interesting trend noted in the survey is the rising popularity of gaming laptops. These machines are not only sought after by gamers but are increasingly used for tasks requiring high processing power like AI and machine learning. The enhanced graphics processing units in these laptops make them suitable for demanding software applications. Recognizing this dual demand, some companies have begun releasing laptops specifically tailored to meet the needs of both gamers and professionals involved in high-performance computing.

A detailed snapshot of the U.S. laptop market in 2024 shows a vibrant and competitive landscape, with traditional computing needs merging with newer, more demanding applications. This blend of uses underlines the dynamic nature of the laptop market and the diverse preferences of American consumers.

The data is based on a survey conducted by Statista between April 2023 and March 2024, involving 6,843 American adults aged 18–64, who were asked about the laptop brands in their households.

Read next: Generative AI Ignorance: 20-30% of the Public Clueless About These Technologies!
by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World

Generative AI Ignorance: 20-30% of the Public Clueless About These Technologies!

A recent study from the Reuters Institute and the University of Oxford highlights a surprising gap in the public’s knowledge of generative AI. Despite the rapid growth and integration of these tools in technology sectors, 20-30% people in several countries are still unaware of their existence. This survey involved around 12,000 participants from six diverse nations including Argentina, Denmark, France, Japan, the UK and the USA.

The study’s findings are quite revealing, especially considering the penetration of such technologies. For instance, ChatGPT by OpenAI is the most recognized among the surveyed AI tools. About half of the survey’s respondents have heard of ChatGPT. However, daily usage rates are quite low with only 1% in Japan, 2% in France and UK, and 7% in USA.

Other popular AI tools noted in the survey include Gemini by Google and Copilot by Microsoft. It appears that younger people are more inclined to use these AI tools. The data shows that 56% of individuals aged between 18 and 24 have tried using ChatGPT at least once. In contrast, only 16% of those aged 55 and older have done the same.

People mainly use these AI tools for creating various types of media like audio, code, images, and video. About 28% of users apply AI for these purposes, while 24% use it to gather information.

• Also read: What Are The Most Important Issues Facing The US Right Now? This New Survey Says It All

The impact of generative AI is expected to be significant across various sectors. A large majority of respondents, 72%, believe AI will greatly affect search and social media companies. Similarly, 66% feel that news media and the science sector will also see considerable changes due to AI advancements.

Despite the potential benefits, the general sentiment about the future of AI is not entirely optimistic. Many express concerns about issues like the cost of living, equality, and job security in relation to the spread of AI technologies. This mix of awareness, usage, and concern paints a complex picture of the global perspective on generative AI and its future role in society.

Read next: The Rising Trend of Dream scrolling Among Americans
by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World

The Rising Trend of Dream scrolling Among Americans

Americans are increasingly spending their time engaged in an activity known as “dream scrolling.” This involves browsing through items or experiences they aspire to own one day. According to research by Empower, the average American spends about two and a half hours each day on this activity. This adds up to roughly 873 hours or about 36 days annually.

Dream scrolling is particularly popular among different age groups, with Gen Zers leading at over three hours daily. Boomers, on the other hand, spend about an hour each day. Interestingly, half of the people surveyed engage in dream scrolling even while at work, with one in five admitting to spending three to four hours doing this during their work hours.

Many find that looking at potential purchases motivates them to manage their finances better. About 56% of Americans believe that dream scrolling helps them make smarter financial decisions and avoid unplanned spending. Around 30% think it keeps them from going into debt, and 25% say it aids in planning their financial goals. Furthermore, a significant number of people view dream scrolling as an investment in their future aspirations.

When it comes to financial goals, 42% of the respondents spend time envisioning their ideal retirement. This includes their age of retirement, where they will live and their expected monthly expenses. The trend of dream scrolling also reflects on the current economic landscape. About 34% of people feel they have bought fewer items from their dream list than they should have. Millennials feel the most pressure in this regard.

The study also highlighted that economic factors like rising prices, the inability to save money, and increasing debt are major hurdles. Despite these challenges, dreamscrolling remains a hopeful activity for many. Half of the respondents noted that they are spending more time dreamscrolling than in previous years and plan to buy something from their dream list before the end of the year.

People dreamscroll for various reasons. Some browse for homes or vacations, while others look at beauty products, items for their pets, or technology. Despite the challenges, 65% are optimistic about eventually purchasing everything on their dream list. However, nearly a quarter believe they might never be able to afford most of their dream items. More than half of the respondents think that owning their dream items would enhance their financial security, and nearly half see the value in working with a financial professional to achieve their goals.

Read next: The Happiness Chasm: What's Driving Mauritius, U.S, Canada, Uzbekistan, and China's Youth Apart from Their Elders?
by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World

New Analysis: Google AI Overviews Impacting 16% of Ecommerce Queries

Founder of Onely, Bartosz Góralewicz, did an analysis of 25,000 ecommerce queries to find out how much impact Google AI overviews have caused on search results. The results of the analysis revealed that 16% of the commerce queries on Google have AI overview results with 13% search volume. However, 80% of the sources that Google AI lists aren’t available organically and do not appear in organic rankings. If you rank in the top three on Google, there is just an 8% chance that you will appear in the AI overview.

• Also read: AI Overviews And Its Impact On Organic Search Traffic: Should We Be Worried?

Aleyda Solis, who is an international SEO consultant, says that there is a huge difference in Google’s traditional rankings and the rankings which appear in AI overview. Google is also trying to make results “accelerated”, instead of summarizing top ranked websites in product related queries. Replying to Bartosz Góralewicz analysis, Solis stated that Google isn’t mentioning 80% of the pages that aren’t organically ranked in its AI overview, rather it is making an “accelerated” approach which is making going through search results easier for users. Solis also talked about the impact AI overviews have caused on traffic.

This: “80% of AI overview sources don't rank organically for the query” from 25K e-commerce queries that @bart_goralewicz analyzed.

This is what I’ve seen happening too because most of the AI overviews for product related queries are “accelerators”: rather than providing high… https://t.co/UFT2wTG2ht pic.twitter.com/i5neMpALl6

— Aleyda Solis 🕊️ (@aleyda) May 22, 2024

Bartosz Góralewicz says that Google is still rolling out its AI overviews and in future, it can become more advanced for high-cost queries. Google will also try to enable ads in addition to more search visibility to ecommerce websites. Retailers and people with ecommerce websites have to adapt new SEO strategies if they want to keep up with this new search environment. As Google is going for accelerated product displays, ecommerce websites will have to bid farewell to traditional ranking strategies.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: How to turn off AI overviews in Google
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Global Websites at Risk Due to Exposed Sensitive Data

A research team from Cybernews has discovered serious issues affecting 58,364 websites globally. These websites have mistakenly left their configuration files, known as .env files, open to the public. These files contain critical data like passwords and API keys necessary for accessing important services like databases, mail servers, and payment systems.

Unfortunately, this oversight has left these sites and their visitors vulnerable to attacks, data breaches and even complete takeovers. The investigation began on April 9th, and used publicly available indexes to review the .env files. The analysis uncovered 1,141,004 secrets that were not protected. Among the exposed information, database credentials were most common, found on over 27,000 websites. This could potentially allow unauthorized access to sensitive user data such as names, addresses, and passwords. Other frequently leaked secrets include application keys and email credentials, which could be exploited for data theft and phishing attacks.

Further findings showed that sensitive information from marketing automation tools and cloud storage services like AWS were also compromised. This kind of exposure could lead to unauthorized access to a wide range of private company and customer data. The study also revealed that high-risk credentials, which could allow attackers to take over entire websites or conduct extensive attacks, were found in 10% of the leaked secrets.

The United States hosted the highest number of affected websites, followed by Germany, India, and France. However, the issue is truly global, with significant numbers of vulnerable sites across various countries.

The researchers pointed out that .env files are often inadvertently exposed due to their hidden status in some operating systems, which can lead to them being uploaded accidentally. Other common reasons for these exposures include mistakes in version control, misconfigured web servers, and simple human error.

To prevent such risks, it’s crucial for web developers to use secure storage solutions for sensitive data and enforce strict access controls. This can help protect not just the websites but also the millions of users who may unknowingly be at risk due to these security oversights.

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• Reducing Social Media Use Boosts Mental Health in Youth
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by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World

Reducing Social Media Use Boosts Mental Health in Youth

A study highlighted in the Psychology of Popular Media journal suggests that young adults can improve their mental health by limiting their social media use. Researchers focused on individuals experiencing emotional distress and found that cutting down screen time to one hour a day over three weeks decreased depression , anxiety, and the fear of missing out.

During adolescence and young adulthood, individuals go through major social, physical, and emotional changes. This makes them particularly susceptible to mental health issues. Statistics include that about 20% of young people are diagnosed with a mental disorder annually, with depression and anxiety being most common. This vulnerability was notably evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw significant increases in depression and anxiety among Canadian youth.

With over 81% of Canadian youth spending at least two hours daily on social media, concerns have grown about its impact on their psychological well being. Previous studies have pointed to a link between extensive social media use and deteriorated mental health symptoms. However these studies often relied on self-reported data and did not explore causality.

To address these limitations, researchers at Carleton university conducted an experiment with 220 undergraduate students who were regular social media users. The study began with a week of usual social media activity followed by three weeks where participants were divided into two groups. The intervention group was asked to limit their social media use to no more than one hour ago per day. Compliance was monitored through daily screenshots of their social media usage.

The findings were significant. Participants who reduced their social media use reported fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety. They also experienced less fear of missing out and increased their nightly sleep by about 30 minutes. The experiment showed that even a slight reduction in social media time could lead to notable improvements in mental health.

The study only lasted three weeks, and it's unclear if these benefits would continue over a longer period. Furthermore, the results depended on self-reported data, which might not always accurately reflect actual usage. Despite these limitations, the research offers promising insights into how reducing social media use can positively affect mental health. Future studies might explore what activities replace reduced screen time and whether these activities contribute further to improving mental health.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: New Google Research Claims An Alarming Rise In Image Disinformation Is Taking Place And AI Is To Blame
by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World