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Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok is preventing most users from generating or editing any images after a global backlash that erupted after it started spewing sexualized deepfakes of people.The chatbot, which is accessed through Musk’s social media platform X, has in the past few weeks been granting a wave of what researchers say are malicious user requests to modify images, including putting women in bikinis or in sexually explicit positions.Researchers have warned that in a few cases, some images appeared to depict children. Governments around the world have condemned the platform and opened investigations into the platform.On Friday, Grok was responding to image altering requests with the message: “Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features.”While subscriber numbers for Grok aren’t publicly available, there was a noticeable decline in the number of explicit deepfakes that Grok is now generating compared with days earlier.The European Union has slammed Grok for “illegal” and “appalling” behavior, while officials in France, India, Malaysia and a Brazilian lawmaker have called for investigations.On Thursday, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened unspecified action against X.“This is disgraceful. It’s disgusting. And it’s not to be tolerated,” Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. “X has got to get a grip of this.”He said media regulator Ofcom “has our full support to take action” and that “all options” are on the table.“It’s disgusting. X need to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it’s simply not tolerable.”Ofcom and Britain’s privacy regulator both said this week they’ve contacted X and Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI for information on measures they’ve taken to comply with British regulations.Grok is free to use for X users, who can ask it questions on the social media platform. They can either tag it in posts they’ve directly created or in replies to posts from other users.Grok launched in 2023. Last summer the company added an image generator feature, Grok Imagine, that included a so-called “spicy mode” that can generate adult content.The problem is amplified both because Musk pitches his chatbot as an edgier alternative to rivals with more safeguards, and because Grok’s images are publicly visible, and can therefore be easily spread. Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer
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E-Commerce
Groks digital undressing scandal is horrifying. In recent days, countless women, including the mother of one of Elon Musks children, have found AI-generated and nonconsensual sexual images of themselves propagating across the web. According to one analysis, Grok was, at least as of early January, generating thousands of sexually suggestive, or undressed, images of people per hour. (Elon Musk now says that image generation will only be available to paid users.)Investigators from several countries have launched inquiries to investigate whether xAI had run afoul of the law, including rules about pornographic deepfakes and child sexual abuse material. Of course, none of these governments are as entangled with xAI, or Elon Musk, as the U.S. right now. The Defense Department offered the company a $200 million contract for Grok last year. Now, a Pentagon official tells Fast Company that the agency’s policy on the use of artificial intelligence fully complies with all applicable laws and regulations, adding that personnel are mandated to uphold these standards, and any unlawful activity will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.” The Trump administration has also signed a range of deals with xAI to offer its Grok chatbot to federal workers for office use. The White House didnt respond to a request for comment. Nor did Carahsoft, a federal government contractor that has signed on to facilitate sales of xAI’s Grok for Government product suite. The General Services Administration, a wonky but critical federal agency thats organized several major government deals for AI companies, including xAI, appears to be punting the issue. The agency tells Fast Company that Grok was still undergoing its own internal safety testing in advance of its integration into USAi, a massive AI platform for the U.S. government that already includes technology from companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. But its unclear how involved, or active, these tests actually are. Its been months since these evaluations were first discussed, and the agency hasnt released any update on how Grok has performed. Fast Company has filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act for any publicly available records pertaining to the results of those evaluations but has not received a response. Grok for Government and xAI are currently undergoing GSAs required internal safety assessments prior to potential integration into USAi.gov, Marianne Copenhaver, a spokesperson for the agency, tells Fast Company. Any federal agency that decides to buy Grok through the larger xAI government deal it already helped negotiate for the company is responsible for evaluating the models they choose to use, she adds. Copenhaver did not address whether the agency was studying Grok’s new penchant for producing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Liability In the U.S., its possible that xAI could face legal problems. Using AI to undress minors, for instance, may already fall under existing criminal statutes. In addition, the Take It Down Act, a bipartisan bill crafted by Sens. Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar and signed by Donald Trump last year, requires platforms to remove nonconsensual AI sexual imagery within two days of being notified. Deploying Grok within the U.S. federal government could be a major liability, several experts tell Fast Company. If agencies are using xAI, officials will eventually have to demand extra guardrails to make Grok usable with the government, which would be difficult to do with xAI ultimately retaining some data about government systems, one former White House official says.In Groks current form, federal workers could, in theory, create CSAMan alarming possibility, says David Nesting, a former AI adviser to the federal chief information officer. If agencies are not monitoring and filtering uses of generative AI in the workplace, this seems like a gap. Mike Horton, the former chief AI officer of the Transportation Department, says Groks CSAM issue is the inevitable result of a Wild West culture in Silicon Valley and the federal government to move fast and break things. Guardrails are necessary, he says, to avoid situations like this from occurring in the first place. Unbridled AI acceleration with no guardrails is like driving a Maserati at 120 mph with no brakes. You can reliably and safely drive that fast because of the brakes, not in spite of them, he says.
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E-Commerce
A viral crowd-funding campaign that has raised over $1.4 million and counting for Renee Good has been verified authentic, a spokesperson for GoFundMe told Fast Company. On Wednesday, January 7, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent fatally shot Good in Minneapolis. The 37-year-old woman was killed while turning her vehicle away from the officeras multiple videos clearly show, despite the federal governments claim to the contrary. Immediately in the wake of Goods death, a GoFundMe campaign for her wife, Becca, and six-year-old son appeared online and far surpassed its $50,000 goal with hundreds of thousands of donations. (Good also had two older children from her first marriage, according to media reports.) GoFundMe initially told Fast Company that it would hold the funds while it worked to verify the campaign. By that point it had, already raised close to half a million dollars. “Tidal wave of care” One of the campaigns co-organizers is listed as Becka Tilson, who is identified as a friend of the family. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We are here brokenhearted and in awe of your generosity, Tilson wrote in an update on Thursday. We will be adding Becca, Renees partner as a beneficiary as soon as possible. They will have direct access to all of these funds. Thank you again for your compassion. They feel this tidal wave of care and it really matters. Some of Goods GoFundMe contributors used the words of support section to applaud her and deliver scathing takedowns of the Trump administration and its supporters. We all know the truth we saw with our own eyes. This should not have happened, wrote one donor. Another contributor wrote, When an unarmed mother can be murdered by a masked mercenary in the streets of the United States, do you feel free? Comments came from across the world and political parties: A real conservative would support your constitutional right to protest peacefully and condemn your murder, despite political views. A real conservative would never celebrate your death. Rest In Peace. The Trump administrations false narrative Under Secretary Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has claimed that Good used her vehicle as a weapon against ICE officers in an act of domestic terrorism. President Trump has also peddled this narrative, claiming in an interview with The New York Times that Good ran over the officer with her car. A series of news outlets with forensic teams have concluded that the DHS and Trump variation of events are simply false. Videos from multiple angles show Good turning her car away from the officer, not onto him. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey didnt mince words in his response to the shooting, ICE Get the f*** out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated purpose for being in this City is to create some kind of safety, but you are doing exactly the opposite. Another ICE shooting on Thursday On Thursday, an ICE officer shot a married couple in Portlandclaiming that they, too, had weaponized their vehicle against the agents. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin further claimed that the couple were involved in the vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Oregon attorney general Dan Rayfield has opened an investigation into the shooting. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson also called for ICE to leave the city and shed doubt on the U.S. governments version of events: We know what the federal government says happened here. There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time has long passed.
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In a rare move, NASA is cutting a mission aboard the International Space Station short after an astronaut had a medical issue.The space agency said Thursday the U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four will return to Earth in the coming days, earlier than planned.NASA canceled its first spacewalk of the year because of the health issue. The space agency did not identify the astronaut or the medical issue, citing patient privacy. The crew member is now stable.NASA officials stressed that it was not an onboard emergency, but are “erring on the side of caution for the crew member,” said Dr. James Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer.Polk said this was the NASA’s first medical evacuation from the space station although astronauts have been treated aboard for things like toothaches and ear pain.The crew of four returning home arrived at the orbiting lab via SpaceX in August for a stay of at least six months. The crew included NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke along with Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov.Fincke and Cardman were supposed to carry out the spacewalk to make preparations for a future rollout of solar panels to provide additional power for the space station.It was Fincke’s fourth visit to the space station and Yui’s second time, according to NASA. This was the first spaceflight for Cardman and Platonov.“I’m proud of the swift effort across the agency thus far to ensure the safety of our astronauts,” NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said.Three other astronauts are currently living and working aboard the space station including NASA’s Chris Williams and Russia’s Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, who launched in November aboard a Soyuz rocket for an eight-month stay. They’re due to return home in the summer.NASA has tapped SpaceX to eventually bring the space station out of orbit by late 2030 or early 2031. Plans called for a safe reentry over ocean. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Adithi Ramakrishnan, AP Science Writer
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Walk through almost any manufacturing plant today, whether the frontline professionals crushing oilseeds, processing corn, or producing ingredients, and youll notice something subtle but important. The tools that help turn agricultural crops into products that feed and fuel the world are getting smarter, more precise, and more capable. Most conversations about the bioeconomy focus on what farmers grow or what consumers buy. But the real transformation is happening in the middle, in the molecular steps that quietly make modern, low-carbon manufacturing possible. Catalysts and enzymes, the biological and chemical tools that convert agricultural inputs into usable materials, are becoming one of the most powerful and least visible forces in this shift. Their applications are multiplying, and the science behind them is moving faster than many leaders recognize. Catalytic systems arent new. Whats changing is their sophistication and the range of industries they can now serve. Advances in enzyme engineering, cleaner processing, and biomanufacturing design are giving companies more precise and adaptable ways to convert plant-based feedstocks. Steps that once relied on heat, pressure, or petrochemical ingredients can now be carried out through approaches that are more targeted and far less energy intensive. For manufacturers working to lower their carbon footprints, these systems are starting to function as foundational infrastructure rather than optional enhancements. THE NEW POWER OF CATALYTIC SYSTEMS The clearest evidence of this shift is in how plant-based inputs move through processing today. Instead of relying on heavy mechanical treatments, more producers are using smarter ways to break down natural materials. Enzyme-assisted milling and gentler separation methods improve efficiency and help capture more value from every bushel. In biofuels, for example, advances in ethanol yeast are combining multiple steps that were once handled separately. More advanced yeast strains can both produce ethanol and generate the enzymes needed to break down sugars, significantly reducing the need for separate enzyme production. That integration lowers energy use, simplifies operations, and improves overall efficiency, while still relying on familiar agricultural inputs. Catalysis itself hasnt changed, but its effectiveness has. New enzyme blends are more consistent and adaptable, which means they keep working even when crop conditions fluctuate. Some research teams are developing combinations that adjust as they work, providing a real-time, responsive approach that brings biological tools and process engineering closer together. The result is a set of processes that can react to natural variability instead of being constrained by it. Increasingly, digital tools are accelerating this progress. Advances in artificial intelligence are helping teams model catalytic behavior, predict performance, and make better design decisions before systems ever reach a plant floor. AI-driven modeling supports faster discovery, more efficient catalyst design, and better operational control, allowing manufacturers to optimize processes in ways that were not possible even a few years ago. Chemical pathways are evolving as well. A familiar byproduct from biodiesel production, such as glycerin, can be converted into glycols used in cleaning and personal care products when processed through the right catalytic route. These improvements may seem modest, yet they open new uses for materials that once had limited outlets and show how far catalytic capabilities have come. APPLICATIONS ARE EXPANDING The impact is visible across a wide range of industries. In packaging, innovations in starch chemistry are enabling biodegradable materials that begin to match conventional plastics on performance. Starch nanofibers and nanocrystals, which offer strength and strong barrier properties, are being explored for packaging and early-stage 3D-printing applications. In home and personal care, catalytic processes support the production of plant-based surfactants, solvents, and functional ingredients. These pathways align with rising consumer expectations for renewable materials and reflect a shift already underway in categories like body wash, laundry care, and household cleaners, where plant-based glycols and citric formulations are gaining adoption. Industrial sectors are experimenting, too. Companies are evaluating agricultural inputs as alternatives for construction materials, drilling fluids, and hydraulic systems, areas that have historically relied on fossil-based components. Each example reflects the same dynamic: Catalytic systems are opening doors that were closed only a few years ago. These advances also have implications upstream. As catalytic systems unlock new uses for plant-based materials, they expand the range of agricultural inputs that can flow into manufacturing. Greater feedstock flexibility allows companies to use not only traditional crops but also fibers, residues, and byproducts that once struggled to find markets. Over time, that diversification strengthens the resilience of the agricultural supply base. WHAT INNOVATION LEADERS SHOULD TAKE FROM THIS MOMENT For corporate leaders in food, beverage, and agriculture, catalytic systems deserve closer attention. They are a meaningful lever for lowering emissions and expanding the role of plant-based materials in manufacturing. Three implications stand out: 1. Catalytic systems influence which materials companies can bring to market.Better catalysts open pathways to new categories of plant-based ingredients and polymers. 2. Scaling requires more than scientific breakthroughs.Success depends on integrating these systems into real operations, ensuring stable feedstocks and coordinating across technical disciplines. 3. The private sector sets the pace.Continued investment in catalytic innovation, both biological and chemical, including digital tools that accelerate discovery and improve performance, is essential to capturing the potential of low-carbon biomanufacturing. A new manufacturing model is taking shape. Catalytic systems are turning crops into cleaner fuels, fibers, ingredients, and chemicals, and doing it with far greater efficiency than the processes they are replacing. The work ahead is real, but so is the opportunity. Progress is coming from teams across science, engineering, and agriculture who are finding better ways to make use of what nature provides. Quiet tools, big impact. And if we keep investing in these molecular systems, they will help build the next generation of low-carbon production, harvest by harvest and molecule by molecule. Chris Cuddy is senior vice president and global president of the Carbohydrate Solutions unit at ADM.
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E-Commerce
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