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In 2019, before most of the world had heard of the company, the technology journalist Karen Hao spent three days embedded in the offices of OpenAI.

What she saw, she tells Michael Safiwas a company vastly at odds with its public image: that of a transparent non-profit developing artificial intelligence technology purely for the benefit of humanity. “They said that they were transparent. They said that they were collaborative. They were actually very secretive.”

Hao spent the next five years following the growth of OpenAI, as it shifted to pursue – in her words – a growth-at-all-costs model. On the one hand, it has been spectacularly successful, with OpenAI now one of the largest companies in the world. On the other, she argues, it has come at a severe cost – to the people whose labour it relies on to operate, and to the planet.

In fact, as she describes in her new book, Empire of AI: Inside the reckless race for total domination, it makes sense to think of OpenAI not as a company, but more akin to empires of old.

A BIZARRE enlarged alien-like skull has been unearthed by shocked construction workers.

Experts confirmed the skull is genuine but are divided on how the deformed discovery came to be after it was unearthed in Argentina.

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But one strong theory links it to a barbaric method that dates back as far as 300,000 years ago.

If true, it’s a type of artificial cranial deformation process where the skull of a child is deliberately flattened to elongate the shape.

The disturbing ritual involved putting pressure on the infant’s head with splints or bandages when their bones are still flexible.

This causes the skull to appear wider, as well as creating a flat or curved line along the back of it.

The ancient practice was commonplace among some groups, like the Ciénaga and Aguada people, who roamed lived around the 3rd and 12th centuries AD.

Unsuspecting construction workers in the town of San Fernando, Belén, stumbled across it, according to local media.

They found funerary urns containing human remains, one containing the deformed skull.

“We’ve contacted the provincial Anthropology Department and the police so they can conduct the necessary studies and find out what generation he belongs to and any mysteries this may hold,” said Clara Ríos, the town’s director of culture told papers.

Some have likened the skull to that of the antmen – or the Myrmidons – an ancient tribe in Greek mythology.

“Interpreting these findings offers an opportunity to deepen our connection with our ancestry,” the Archaeological Studies Group (GEA) said, according to Heritage Daily.

“By respecting and valuing these cultural practices and their meanings, we honour the memory of our ancestors and connect with them through our shared human experience.”

There are a number of reasons why groups used to deform skulls like this.

Experts say it was done as a sign of social status, to show which group you were part of or for spiritual beliefs.

GOOGLE is creating a clever button that could slash energy bills for millions of TV owners.

Telly sleuths have spotted early signs of the feature on Google TV – one of the most popular systems that powers televisions around the world.

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Google TV and Android TV are Google creations that serve as the “home” for your telly, serving up your apps and settings.

It regularly receives updates from Google adding new features to help improve your television – even after you’ve bought it.

Eagle-eyed gadget fans at Android Authority have dug into the test version for one of these updates, and uncovered a clever upgrade.

It lets you set up an advanced sleep timer for your telly so that it won’t keep playing all through the night.

Falling asleep while watching telly is very common – even if what you’re watching isn’t boring.

Currently Android TV does offer a very basic sleep timer, but it’s very hard to get to, buried deep inside your TV’s energy settings. One clever shortcut is to ask the built-in Google Assistant to “turn off TV in X minutes”.

But the new version will let you schedule sleep timers, add time to them, pause it, and even get notifications for when it’s about to run down.

There’s no word on exactly when the feature will arrive, but it would be very handy.

For a start, not having your TV running all night will save you money on energy bills.

It also means you’ll get a more restful night’s sleep.

And you don’t run the risk of something loud coming on the telly that wakes up your partner or other people at home too. So it may even help you dodge a few rows at home.

The Sun has asked Google for comment and will update this story with any response.

IPHONE SLEEP TIMERS

While you wait for that, there are some clever iPhone sleep timers to try too.

The first is built directly into the official Apple Podcasts app.

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Just go into it and start playing something.

Then look at the media playback screen in the app: you should see a small crescent moon icon in the bottom-right. It’ll have three “z”s next to it.

Tap it and you’ll be able to set up a sleep timer for that podcast.

You can choose times ranging from five minutes right up to an hour.

But the more useful option might be to choose When Episode Ends.

This will kill your podcast once the episode is over, which has the added benefit of meaning you won’t sleep through a load of episodes that you wanted to listen to.

There’s a very similar feature that works on music for your iPhone too.

It’s built into the default iPhone Clock app, and you may well have missed it entirely.

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This will let you shut off music after a certain amount of time.

So you could play peaceful rain sounds, for instance, and then have it shut off so it doesn’t run all night.

This will save energy and hope give you a bit of peace too.

First, begin playing some music.

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Then go to the Clock app and head into the Timers tab.

Set a timer for a length of time – for instance, you could choose one hour.

Then on the button for When Timer Ends, don’t choose a sound. Instead, scroll all the way to the very bottom.

Tap on the Stop Playing option and then start the timer.

Once it ends, the timer won’t make a noise. It’ll just switch your music off entirely. Handy.

While the One UI 7 update is still making its rounds, the Samsung One UI 8 beta is getting set to make some connections of its own. The Samsung beta enrollment program for 2025 has been formally announced, giving Galaxy S25 series users much to look forward to. The Android 16 release is right around the corner now that the Google I/O event is done, and there are some big changes expected with the new OS. Along with an updated design language for the interface, Android 16 is expected to change how we use and interact with our smartphones.

Pixel users will be the first to interact with this interface directly, but other smartphone makers have already hopped on to build their own operating systems based on its capabilities. Eager to avoid repeating the delay we witnessed with the One UI 7 rollout, Samsung’s One UI 8 beta program has already gone live, giving it a good start to perfecting the OS before a full release later this year.

Samsung One UI 8 Beta Program Announced—Are You Interested in Signing Up?

The Samsung One UI 8 beta program has already begun for Galaxy S25 users in South Korea, but some users in the US, UK, and Germany who are enrolled in the program have also seen its arrival. This Android 16-based One UI 8 build is 3.38 GB in size and can be downloaded over Wi-Fi only.

One UI 8 Beta Signup: How to Enroll in the Program?

If you’re interested in trying out the changes early and providing feedback on its capabilities, the One UI 8 beta signup is now open for Galaxy S25 series owners. You can use the Samsung Members app to sign up with your Samsung account, provided you’re in the US, UK, South Korea, or Germany, where the program is now live.

Once you log in, you should see the banner for the Beta program which you can use to sign up. After the registration is complete, you can check your software update page on your device the same as you would for a regular OS update, and the Samsung One UI 8 beta update will be available for you to download and explore.

When will Samsung One UI 8 Launch?

Unfortunately, we don’t have a set date for the official global release of One UI 8 just yet. Samsung will likely spend at least a few months testing and perfecting the features before it releases the first version of the software. Seeing as Google hasn’t provided a clear release date for Android 16 other than its potential arrival sometime in June, it’s very unlikely that we’ll see a One UI 8 announcement before July at the earliest.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 smartphones are expected to launch in July, so these could be the first phones to feature the One UI 8 update out of the box. The software will then roll out to Galaxy S25 phones and later arrive on older models. We’re confident that the majority of One UI 8-supported devices will see the software by the end of the year, but there’s not much more that can be confirmed.

Samsung One UI 8 Beta Changelog—What Are Some New Features Being Tested?

The Samsung beta program details have been listed in the changelog provided with the One UI 8 beta launch, and there are quite a few features the company is testing out. Samsung is improving its Quick Share system to support easier file transfer, while also updating the on-device search function to locate files downloaded to the device. The split screen view—a feature we find ourselves using constantly—is being improved to better focus on one app, and the reminder interface is also being redesigned.

Along with a multitude of improvements to the reminder function, it will also offer an easier way to add reminders or events to the calendar or create new routines to keep your life on track. The Samsung Health app is also exploring improvements and so is the camera app. Samsung is also using its One UI 8 beta launch to test a range of accessibility features to see how they can be used to improve the experience of using its smartphones.

These features are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the details mentioned in the One UI 8 announcement, so it is evident that Samsung is looking beyond a redesign to fully enhance the capabilities of the smartphone. While we have not been a fan of the Now Bar feature or some of the design changes introduced with One UI 7, we’re hoping that the next update will do more than just mess with the transparency of the clock widget on Samsung smartphones.

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Reform UK will accept donations through bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Nigel Farage has announced.

During an appearance at the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas, where he was introduced as a “UK presidential candidate”, Farage said: “As of now, provided you are an eligible UK donor … we are the first political party in Britain that can accept donations in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.”

He said Reform was planning to introduce a cryptoassets and digital finance bill. This would cut capital gains tax on cryptoassets from 24% to 10%, turning the UK into a “crypto powerhouse”, he said. Farage added that the crypto legislation that his party had drawn up would include a “bitcoin digital reserve in the Bank of England”.

Farage said the bill would make it illegal for banks to debank customers who use and trade in cryptocurrency.

On Thursday the Reform website was updated to accept cryptocurrency donations. There was a disclaimer stating that all donations were subject to Electoral Commission rules and that anonymous donations were not permissible.

At the conference, Farage called the acceptance of political donations “innovative”, before commending America for being “ahead” with their stance on digital assets.

“My message to the British public, and my message particularly to young people, is to help us to help you bring our country properly into the 21st century,” he said. “Let’s recognise that crypto and digital assets are here to stay.”

During his talk, Farage criticised the current Labour government and the previous Conservative regime’s lack of action in the cryptocurrency world. He said: “Rishi Sunak, when he was briefly prime minister, made one speech about crypto … and how London used to be a global financial centre. One speech and nothing else. Labour, well we have 25 men and women in cabinet and not a single one of them has worked in private business.”

A Reform UK spokesperson said cryptocurrency donations would be accepted by the party and details were expected to be announced on Friday.

Reform UK is listed on Companies House as a private company majority controlled by the leader, not a members’ association like other parties. The company that owns Reform UK is listed as Reform 2025, a not-for-profit company that has just two members and two directors: Farage and Zia Yusuf.

Doctors have developed an artificial intelligence tool that can predict which men with prostate cancer will benefit from a drug that halves the risk of dying.

Abiraterone has been described as a “gamechanger” treatment for the disease, which is the most common form of cancer in men in more than 100 countries. It has already helped hundreds of thousands with advanced prostate cancer to live longer.

But some countries, including England, have stopped short of offering the “spectacular” drug more widely to men whose disease has not spread.

Now a team from the US, UK and Switzerland have built an AI test that shows which men would most likely benefit from abiraterone. The “exciting” breakthrough will enable healthcare systems to roll out the drug to more men, and spare others unnecessary treatment.

The AI test is being unveiled in Chicago at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the world’s largest cancer conference.

Nick James, professor of prostate and bladder cancer research at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and a consultant clinical oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS foundation trust, co-led the team that built it.

“Abiraterone has already hugely improved the outlook for hundreds of thousands of men with advanced prostate cancer,” said James. “We know that for many men with cancer that has not yet spread, it can also have spectacular results.

“But it does come with side-effects and requires additional monitoring for potential issues with high blood pressure or liver abnormalities. It can also slightly increase the risk of diabetes and heart attacks, so knowing who is most likely to benefit is very valuable.

“This research shows that we can pick out the people who will respond best to abiraterone, and those who will do well from standard treatment alone – hormone therapy and radiotherapy.”

The test uses AI to study images of tumours and pick out features invisible to the human eye. The team, funded by Prostate Cancer UK, the Medical Research Council and Artera, trialled the test on biopsy images from more than 1,000 men with high-risk prostate cancer that had not spread.

The AI test identified the 25% of men in the group most likely to benefit from the abiraterone – for these men, the drug halves the risk of death.

In the trial, patients received a score – biomarker-positive or -negative – which was compared with their outcomes. For those with biomarker-positive tumours, one in four of the men, abiraterone cut their risk of death after five years from 17% to 9%.

For those with biomarker-negative tumours, abiraterone cut the risk of death from 7% to 4% – a difference that was not statistically or clinically significant, the team said. These men would benefit from standard therapy alone and be spared unnecessary treatment.

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The study co-leader Prof Gert Attard, of the UCL Cancer Institute, said: “This study shows, in a very large cohort of patients, that novel algorithms can be used to extract information from routinely available pathology slides to tailor these treatments to specific patients and minimise over treatment whilst maximising the chance of cure.”

James said that because fewer men than previously thought would need the drug, healthcare systems should consider giving it to men whose cancer had not spread.

It is approved for NHS use in England for advanced prostate cancer, but not for newly diagnosed high-risk disease that has not spread. However, it has been available for men with this indication in Scotland and Wales for two years.

“Abiraterone costs just £77 per pack, compared with the thousands of pounds that new drugs cost,” said James. “I truly hope that this new research – showing precisely who needs the drug to live well for longer – will lead to NHS England reviewing their decision not to fund abiraterone for high-risk prostate cancer that has not spread.”

Dr Matthew Hobbs, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK, described the AI test as “exciting”. He added: “We therefore echo the researchers’ urgent call for abiraterone to be made available to those men whose lives it can save – men who, thanks to this research, we can now identify more precisely than ever before.”

An NHS spokesperson said: “Following a full evidence-based assessment, expanding access to this drug for non-metastatic prostate cancer has been identified as one of the top priorities for investment once the necessary recurrent funding is available to support its use.

“Abiraterone continues to be routinely funded by the NHS in England for several forms of advanced prostate cancer in line clinical guidance, and we are keeping this position under close review in light of emerging evidence, including recent research that may help better target the treatment to those most likely to benefit.”

SKY has revealed telly customers are getting a major refresh in just a few days – revamping TV guides for millions.

Previously secret changes to five major channels were revealed by a Sky employee in an official post to the company’s Community pages.

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Each of the channels will be renamed as part of the service shake up that is expected to affect every customer.

From Monday, June 2, the changes will start coming into effect with the final expected on Saturday June 7.

According to the Sky employee four channels will have their names changed on Monday.

A further two channels will have their names temporarily changed on Friday and Saturday.

Sky Fairytale on channels 306/850 is due to be renamed to Sky Family on Monday June 2, reverting back from a temporary change.

Sky Karate Kid will also have its name changed on Monday June 2, again the channel will be reverting from a temporary change.

Found on channels 307/851 it will now be called Sky Action.

Sky Pride on channel 310 will be reverting its name from a temporary change as well.

This will come into effect on Monday June 2 and it will now be called Sky Drama HD.

That’s Pride, on channel 360, will be renamed to That’s Dance on Monday June 2.

Further changes are expected later in the week with Sky Romance, channel 302, being renamed to SuperheroHD on Friday June 6.

This is a temporary change and the channel will have its name reverted at some point.

On Saturday June 7 Sky Comedy HD, channel 308, will be renamed to PitchPerfectHD.

This again is a temporary change and the channel will have its name reverted at some point in the future.

The upcoming changes will be implemented for all Sky customers.

Sky+, Sky Q and Sky Glass/Stream will all be affected by the changes to channel names.

The list of upcoming changes was revealed by a Sky employee with the first of the coming changes expected in just a few days.

Changes to channel names are made for a variety of reasons including for new arrivals, theme changes and rebranding efforts.

Changes to channel names are often temporary but some remain permanent.

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Winter-Levy also contends that these AI chip deals go against Trump’s past emphasis on an “America first” foreign policy approach. “This is offshoring data centers that could be built in the United States. This is offshoring chips that could be going to US tech companies,” he says. “It’s hard to reconcile this with an America First approach to industrial policy or economic policy in general.”

A MAJOR UK mobile network is warning customers they will be left with no mobile data soon unless they upgrade their phone.

Fortunately, there is a £100 voucher on offer to soften the blow.

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O2 has already started switching off its legacy 3G network as part of a national effort by all the UK’s providers.

The firm’s plan also affects other brands that rely on O2’s network infrastructure, including Tesco Mobile, GiffGaff and Sky Mobile.

O2 started deactivating 3G in April in the city of Durham.

The shake-up means anyone with an older phone only capable of handling 3G will no longer be able to use data when they’re out and about.

Calls, texts and going on the internet via Wi-Fi only will still be possible.

As efforts ramp up, the company is warning more customers that will be affected.

In an email seen by ISPreviewO2 says “you may experience a drop in call quality and be unable to access mobile data, including the internet and messaging apps like WhatsApp”.

It continues to warn that “upgrading your tariff won’t be enough to keep you connected once the switch off happens. You need to upgrade to a compatible phone.”

But there is a £100 voucher towards a new phone being offered, so check your email for it or reach out to O2.

The next areas where 3G will be switched off across the UK is Norwich, Telford, Guildford and Torquay.

Norwich, Telford and Guildford will have the plug pulled on July 16, while Torquay’s will change on August 4.

The loss of 3G means more faster 4G and 5G services can be installed in their place.

Is my phone affected?

O2 is contacting people that are affected by the move.

But the vast majority of people should be unaffected – if you’ve bought yours in the last 10 years or so it’s probably safe 4G and 5G compatible.

If you’re unsure, there is a trick to check.

Go into your phone’s settings and search for Network Mode or Preferred Network.

If you see 4G or 5G listed then you are in the clear.

EXPERT analysts have discovered a massive hack affecting Wi-Fi routers with thousands already compromised.

Analysts who uncovered the hack said it has already impacted over 9,000 devices and is still ongoing.

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So far only Asus routers have been hit by the hackers who seem to be adding the devices to their “army” after gaining control.

It remains unclear what the internet crooks intend to do with the nearly 10,000 routers they have gained control over.

The hack was detected by an AI system known as “sift” in March, this led analysts to investigate.

Working for cybersecurity platform GreyNoise Enterprise, who designed the AI, analysts quickly identified and named the hack.

The firm collects and analyses Internet-wide scan and attack data to provide insights into potential threats.

The attack has been dubbed “ViciousTrap” by security experts who are monitoring the ongoing situation.

Attackers stealthily accessed the routers over a period of time with their access seemingly immune to reboots and firmware updates.

This gives the hackers control over the affected devices that is hard to block or remove.

Despite the hack being identified the number of devices being affected is still rising indicating that the hack has not been stopped.

Experts have said the hack is essentially invisible with little to no trace that devices have been affected.

The reason why the attackers are building their army of routers is still a mystery.

Asus has addressed the weaknesses that initially granted the hackers access to their routers.

A GreyNoise report on the hack said: “The techniques used reflect long-term access planning and a high level of system knowledge.”

Government authorities were notified of the hack shortly after it was discovered.

Routers are always exposed to the Internet, and move significant amounts of highly valuable data, making them actively sought after targets for hacks.

Experts are recommending performing a complete factory reset on Asus routers that may be affected.

Following the reset experts are urging users to update their router firmware and reconfigure their devices manually.

Updating routers to the latest firmware from or after May 27 can protect unaffected routers from falling victim to the hack and help remedy already affected routers.

No source for the hack or a reason behind it have been identified yet.

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