Tag: terms

Categories
Featured

Discord’s updated Terms of Service are exactly the wrong response to its recent data breaches

[ad_1]

It seems that Discord has been in the news for one reason or another lately, ranging from layoffs to massive privacy breaches and information theft by third parties. And now there’s something new on the horizon — one that may not seem like such a huge deal now but could cause massive issues later on down the line for Discord users.

Discord has recently updated its forced arbitration clause in its Terms of Service for its service for US residents, a decision that follows many other corporations that operate primarily in the US. According to the clause, any users who reside in the US waive their right to a jury trial, which includes any class action suits:

screenshot of discord TOS

(Image credit: Future)

But why would Discord bother to update its TOS now?



[ad_2]

Source Article Link

Categories
Computers

A Roku Terms of Service Update Locks Up Your TV Until You Agree

[ad_1]

Roku customers are threatening to stop using, or to even dispose of, their low-priced TVs and streaming gadgets after the company appears to be locking devices for people who don’t conform to the recently updated terms of service.

This month, users on Roku’s support forums reported suddenly seeing a message when turning on their Roku TV or streaming device reading: “We’ve made an important update: We’ve updated our Dispute Resolution Terms. Select ‘Agree’ to agree to these updated Terms and to continue enjoying our products and services. Press * to view these updated Terms.” A large button reading “Agree” follows. The pop-up doesn’t offer a way to disagree, and users are unable to use their device unless they hit agree.

Customers have left pages of complaints on Roku’s forum. One user going by “rickstanford” said they were “FURIOUS!!!!” and expressed interest in sending their reported six Roku devices back to the company since “apparently I don’t own them despite spending hundreds of dollars on them.”

Another user going by Formercustomer, who, I suspect, is aptly named, wrote:

So, you buy a product, and you use it. And they want to change the terms limiting your rights, and they basically brick the device … if you don’t accept their new terms. … I hope they get their comeuppance here, as this is disgraceful.

Roku has further aggravated customers who have found that disagreeing to its updated terms is harder than necessary. Roku is willing to accept agreement to its terms with a single button press, but to opt out, users must jump through hoops that include finding that old book of stamps.

To opt out of Roku’s ToS update, which primarily changes the “Dispute Resolution Terms,” users must send a letter to Roku’s general counsel in California mentioning: “the name of each person opting out and contact information for each such person, the specific product models, software, or services used that are at issue, the email address that you used to set up your Roku account (if you have one), and, if applicable, a copy of your purchase receipt.” Roku required all this to opt out of its terms previously, as well.

But the new update means that while users read this information and have their letter delivered, they’re unable to use products they already paid for and used, in some cases for years, under different “dispute resolution terms.”

“I can’t watch my TV because I don’t agree to the Dispute Resolution Terms. Please help,” a user going by Campbell220 wrote on Roku’s support forum.

Based on the ToS’s wording, users could technically choose to agree to the ToS on their device and then write a letter saying they’d like to opt out. But opting into an agreement only to use a device under terms you don’t agree with is counterintuitive.

[ad_2]

Source Article Link

Categories
News

Generative AI explained in simple terms

Generative AI explained in simple terms

This is the time of generative AI, a sophisticated branch of technology that is rapidly altering the landscape of content creation. It’s a field where the lines between human ingenuity and machine efficiency are blurring, giving rise to a new era of innovation. Generative AI is distinct from the AI most people are familiar with. Instead of merely processing information, it has the remarkable ability to produce new content that was once considered the sole province of human creativity. Imagine a tool that could offer you intelligent solutions on demand, much like having a digital genius at your fingertips. This is the essence of what generative AI brings to the table.

Generative AI refers to a subset of artificial intelligence technologies that can generate new content, such as text, images, music, and even code, based on the patterns and data they have learned from. Unlike traditional AI, which focuses on understanding or interpreting existing information, generative AI takes this a step further by creating original output that can mimic human-like creativity. The foundation of generative AI involves complex algorithms and models that learn from vast amounts of data, identifying underlying patterns, structures, and relationships within this data.

Generative AI explained in simple terms

The key to unlocking the full potential of generative AI lies in prompt engineering—the art of crafting the right instructions to guide the AI towards generating the desired outcome. As AI becomes more integrated into our everyday tasks, mastering this skill is becoming increasingly important. It ensures that the AI’s output aligns with our goals and expectations.

Here are some other articles you may find of interest on the subject of generative artificial intelligence :

Generative AI is a step above its predecessors in its ability to create. While traditional AI systems are adept at organizing and classifying existing data, generative AI can write essays, create music, or produce realistic images from a simple text description. This is made possible by Large Language Models (LLMs) like the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT). These models are trained on vast amounts of data, enabling them to generate text that is not only coherent but also contextually relevant. They are powered by complex algorithms that allow them to improve their performance continuously.

The capabilities of generative AI are not limited to text. It can turn rough sketches into detailed, lifelike images, provide elaborate descriptions of visuals, convert speech to text, and even create spoken content or video clips from written descriptions. Multimodal AI products push these boundaries even further by blending different forms of media, thereby enriching the user experience and expanding the functionality of AI. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) play a pivotal role in the integration of AI into various products. They act as the bridge that allows different software components to communicate with each other, making it possible for AI to become a seamless part of our digital tools.

Summary explanation of Generative AI

To understand generative AI, it’s crucial to grasp two key concepts: machine learning and neural networks. Machine learning is a method of teaching computers to learn from data, improve through experience, and make predictions or decisions. Neural networks, inspired by the human brain’s architecture, are a series of algorithms that recognize underlying relationships in a set of data through a process that mimics the way a human brain operates.

Generative AI operates primarily through two models: Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and Variational Autoencoders (VAEs).

  1. Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs): GANs consist of two parts, a generator and a discriminator. The generator creates new data instances, while the discriminator evaluates them against real data. The generator’s goal is to produce data so authentic that the discriminator cannot distinguish it from real data. This process continues until the generator achieves a high level of proficiency. An example of GANs in action is the creation of realistic human faces that do not belong to any real person.
  2. Variational Autoencoders (VAEs): VAEs are also used to generate data. They work by compressing data (encoding) into a smaller, dense representation and then reconstructing it (decoding) back into its original form. VAEs are particularly useful in generating complex data like images and music by learning the probability distribution of the input data.

Examples of Generative AI Applications:

  • Text Generation: Tools like OpenAI’s GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) can produce coherent and contextually relevant text based on a given prompt. For instance, if you ask it to write a story about a lost kitten, GPT can generate a complete narrative that feels surprisingly human-like.
  • Image Creation: DeepArt and DALL·E are examples of AI that can generate art and images from textual descriptions. You could describe a scene, such as a sunset over a mountain range, and these tools can create a visual representation of that description.
  • Music Composition: AI like OpenAI’s Jukebox can generate new music in various styles by learning from a large dataset of songs. It can produce compositions in the style of specific artists or genres, even singing with generated lyrics.
  • Code Generation: GitHub’s Copilot uses AI to suggest code and functions to developers as they type, effectively generating coding content based on the context of the existing code and comments.

As we observe the swift progress of generative AI, it’s important to maintain a balanced perspective. We must embrace the possibilities that AI offers while acknowledging its current limitations. Human insight remains irreplaceable, providing the domain expertise and ethical guidance that AI is not equipped to handle.

Generative AI is reshaping the boundaries of what we consider achievable. It presents us with tools that enhance human productivity and creativity. By gaining an understanding of AI models, becoming proficient in prompt engineering, and preparing for the advent of more autonomous systems, we position ourselves not just as spectators but as active contributors to the unfolding future of technology.

Filed Under: Guides, Top News





Latest timeswonderful Deals

Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, timeswonderful may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.