The US government plans to award a contract to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) to investigate the potential link between vaccinations and autism. The contract, valued at an unspecified amount, will be awarded due to RPI's "unique ability" to link data on children and mothers. This move has raised questions among experts, who point out that the question of a link between vaccines and autism has been extensively studied over the past 20 years, with no credible evidence found. The Autism Science Foundation has expressed concerns that the contract could divert funds away from more important research questions, such as genetics and environmental factors.
Strategic Communications has been selected as one of 49 qualified contractors for the US Army's $10 billion ITES-4H contract, a 10-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity agreement. The contract covers comprehensive commercial IT hardware solutions, including servers, workstations, networking infrastructure, and storage systems. Strategic Communications' Chief Revenue Officer Chris Mills said the selection is a testament to their team's proven capabilities in delivering mission-critical IT solutions. The company will support the Army's infrastructure modernization efforts over the next decade, providing enhanced operational efficiency, strengthened cybersecurity frameworks, and comprehensive support for mission-critical operational requirements.
Dubai is preparing to integrate humanoids into public spaces, with the goal of making them a common sight in malls, airports, and homes. The city has unveiled the Unitree G1 humanoid, a machine that waved at Sheikh Mohammed, jogged across a street and lit up social media feeds. This move is seen as a step towards making humanoids a part of everyday life in Dubai, with the potential to revolutionize transportation and customer service.
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) College in Sydney has seen a significant increase in student cheating, with one in 12 students caught cheating last year. The college reported 530 cases of generative AI misuse, a 219% increase from the previous year. The business faculty had the highest number of reported cheats, followed by engineering. UNSW College has a less permissive approach to AI use compared to other institutions, with differing rules about when students can use it. The university's report on cheating attributed the rise in misbehaviour to the advent of artificial intelligence and better detection.
A special issue of the NCSBNS Journal of Nursing Regulation is available for free until December 31, 2025. This issue covers various topics such as practice and education, artificial intelligence, telehealth, ethical decision-making, and nurse apprenticeships. The journal, ranked second among 192 nursing journals by Clarivate, is a quarterly publication that promotes evidence-based regulation and addresses patient safety concerns. It aims to disseminate knowledge on nursing and healthcare regulation globally, with a focus on regulatory issues in the U.S. and worldwide.
Albertsons Cos. has deployed Google Cloud's new Conversational Commerce agent, a digital platform designed for business-to-consumer retailers. Built on Google Cloud's Vertex AI development platform, the AI-powered shopping assistant detects shoppers' intent and preferences, engaging in real-time conversations to surface relevant results and recommendations. Early results show that 85% of customers using the agent at Albertsons begin with open-ended questions and often add additional items to their cart after discovering them via the agent.
Allrize, a practice management software provider, has added Agentic AI capabilities to its platform. This enhancement aims to help law firms streamline tasks and improve efficiency, allowing them to focus on revenue growth and profit.
OpenAI has avoided sanctions in a trademark dispute over its 'io' website post, with the court ruling that the company did not infringe on the trademark "io" owned by Bloomberg.
The Britannica Group has filed a copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit against Perplexity, alleging the artificial intelligence company's widespread use of Britannica's trusted and human-verified content without consent or reference. This includes the use of Britannica's historic brands, often verbatim, in Perplexity's answer engine. As a result of this action, Britannica aims to protect its data and intellectual capital, maintaining its position as the world's most trusted source of answers.