Research & Development news

• Thousands of Waymos recalled after robotaxi swept into a creek

  13-05-2026 16:40 via bbc.com
  The voluntary recall follows an incident on 20 April where an empty Waymo car entered a flooded road in San Antonio, Texas.
  
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• Who is Elon Musk and what is his net worth?

  04-06-2026 10:35 via bbc.com
  
  The boss of X, Tesla and SpaceX is the world's richest person and has used his platform to make his views known on a vast array of topics.
  
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• Phone signal on trains not good enough most of the time, research says

  03-06-2026 16:21 via bbc.com
  
  Ofcom found the major phone networks were not providing good signal on trains, and train companies were slowing down wi-fi.
  
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• Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland back after online banking outage

  03-06-2026 16:16 via bbc.com
  
  "We're aware some customers are having issues with our app and online banking. We're really sorry about this," Lloyds Bank posted on X.
  
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• Meta workers can opt out of being tracked at work - but only for half an hour at a time

  03-06-2026 12:46 via bbc.com
  
  According to an internal memo, new controls will allow employees to pause the data collection for "up to 30 minutes at a time".
  
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• Publishers in UK can opt out of Google AI search results

  03-06-2026 07:18 via bbc.com
  
  The Competition and Markets Authority says it would put publishers "in a stronger position to negotiate content deals with Google".
  
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• Do you find yourself aimlessly scrolling? You're not alone

  03-06-2026 01:01 via bbc.com
  
  A Virgin Media O2 report suggests an average of 36% of time spent on phones is without a clear purpose.
  
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• Microsoft testing wearable AI gadget aimed at office workers

  02-06-2026 23:47 via bbc.com
  
  The company said its own workers are testing a "wearable access badge" and a desktop device.
  
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• Microsoft says new quantum chip 1,000 times more reliable than predecessor

  02-06-2026 21:24 via bbc.com
  
  The tech giant predicts it will have a quantum computer that can solve commercially useful problems by the end of the decade.
  
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• Instagram AI chatbot tricked by hackers to give access to others' accounts

  02-06-2026 13:40 via bbc.com
  
  Some reports have linked the incident to recent cases of high-profile Instagram accounts being hijacked.
  
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• How 'confused' AI rollout hurts firms and baffles staff

  02-06-2026 01:05 via bbc.com
  
  Some firms are putting pressure on staff to use AI, but have not thought through their AI rollout.
  
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• OpenAI let ChatGPT aid and abet mass shooters, Florida lawsuit claims

  01-06-2026 20:58 via bbc.com
  
  Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier alleges OpenAI and boss Sam Altman built a 'web of deceit'
  
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• UK banks blocked from cyber AI tool Mythos get offer from rival OpenAI

  01-06-2026 19:07 via bbc.com
  
  Nine banks have been offered access to GPT 5.5 Cyber, as fierce rival Anthropic has blocked previews of its tool.
  
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• 'Controversial' North Korean invasion setting for next Call of Duty game

  29-05-2026 15:55 via bbc.com
  
  Developer Infinity Ward said the game will be "grounded in the military authenticity" the series is known for.
  
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• TikTok and YouTube 'not safe enough' for kids, says Ofcom

  21-05-2026 09:10 via bbc.com
  YouTube said it worked with experts to provide appropriate experiences. TikTok said it was disappointed Ofcom had not acknowledged its safety features.
  
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• SpaceX files for stock market debut that could make Elon Musk a trillionaire

  21-05-2026 08:00 via bbc.com
  Musk's rocket-maker and satellite internet provider will trade under the ticker SPCX
  
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• US groups urge investigation into child safety and spending on Roblox

  20-05-2026 12:27 via bbc.com
  Roblox said it had "clear policies" banning actual and simulated gambling, as well as rules governing paid random items.
  
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• Google to release first smart glasses since Google Glass flop

  19-05-2026 23:00 via bbc.com
  The glasses will go on sale sometime in autumn and allow Google's artificial intelligence product to interact with a user.
  
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• Zoe Kleinman: Why the AI industry is the real winner of the Musk-Altman trial

  19-05-2026 13:05 via bbc.com
  The trial in Oakland, California has helped lift the veil on the AI sector - and the huge egos of the men at the heart of it.
  
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• Elon Musk has lost yet another legal battle. Why he'll still keep fighting

  19-05-2026 10:45 via bbc.com
  Musk has lost his high-profile lawsuit against OpenAI, but is not likely to change his aggressive style.
  
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• Satellites and AI used to track UK hedgehogs in bid to slow decline

  19-05-2026 01:04 via bbc.com
  Researchers hope the project will also help to identify barriers preventing hedgehogs from finding food and mates in the wild.
  
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• Robo-top: The machines that could make your next t-shirt

  19-05-2026 01:04 via bbc.com
  Most clothes are made in Asia, but new machines could bring some of that work back to the West.
  
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• Musk loses OpenAI court battle after jury finds he waited too long to sue

  19-05-2026 00:08 via bbc.com
  Jurors spent weeks hearing about Musk's claim that Altman had "stolen a charity."
  
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• Instant AI answers can trivialise human intelligence, warns Royal Observatory

  18-05-2026 11:33 via bbc.com
  Paddy Rodgers said the Observatory's rich history showed the power of human knowledge and the need to avoid "dependence" on AI.
  
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• X pledges quicker action on hate and terror content in the UK

  15-05-2026 14:57 via bbc.com
  Ofcom said the commitments were of particular importance after recent crimes targeting Jewish communities in the UK.
  
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• Claim, counter-claim and tech's seedy side exposed: Five things we learned in the Musk-Altman trial

  15-05-2026 07:03 via bbc.com
  As the jury deliberates, this is what we found out during the weeks-long trial with two tech titans at its heart.
  
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• Inside the secretive and lucrative world of orchid breeding

  15-05-2026 01:03 via bbc.com
  It can take a decade to bring a new orchid to market, so breeders keep their hi-tech processes secret.
  
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• AI could put people off tech jobs and hurt the economy, warns Raspberry Pi boss

  15-05-2026 01:01 via bbc.com
  Eben Upton warns against claims that Artificial Intelligence will destroy vast numbers of computing roles over the coming years.
  
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• 'Millions' of pounds saved by replacing Palantir tech in refugee system

  14-05-2026 23:09 via bbc.com
  The government said its in-house IT system was "more flexible" while meeting "high standards" of security.
  
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• HMRC to use AI from British tech firm to spot fraud and tax return errors

  14-05-2026 07:10 via bbc.com
  Quantexa, a financial data platform, won the £175m contract to spot fraud and tax return errors.
  
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