When you sign up for a new app or platform, you’re often asked to “agree” to the terms of service and privacy policies. But what does that consent mean, and is it meaningful?

AI-powered hiring tools are being adopted by companies large and small, promising to streamline recruitment and reduce human bias. But recent investigations have raised serious concerns that these systems may actually amplify discrimination rather than prevent it.

Almost every website now greets visitors with a cookie consent banner, claiming to offer a choice over tracking. But privacy advocates warn that many of these pop-ups are designed not to inform, but to manipulate. Known as dark patterns, these interfaces use visual tricks to steer users toward accepting all cookies, often burying “reject all” options behind extra clicks, small text, or confusing layouts.

Cybersecurity experts are warning about WormGPT, a black-market AI tool designed for criminals. Unlike mainstream AI models that include content filters, WormGPT deliberately omits safeguards, allowing users to generate phishing emails, malware code, and scam scripts at scale.

AI is transforming consumer lending, promising faster credit decisions and greater access. But the reality is more complicated. Many AI-based scoring systems rely on alternative data — utility payments, online behavior, even social media activity — to predict creditworthiness.

AI chatbots have become a daily fixture, from customer support and virtual assistants to AI companions. But behind their smooth conversations lies a complex system that even their creators sometimes struggle to fully explain. This opacity is what many refer to as the “black box” problem in AI: we see the inputs and outputs, but not always the logic in between.

Meta’s standalone AI chatbot has ignited privacy concerns after users discovered their private conversations appearing in the public “Discover” feed. Given sensitive topics like mental health struggles, relationship difficulties, sexuality, and political opinions, many users mistakenly believed their content was private.

Europe’s landmark AI Act has officially entered the implementation phase, ushering in one of the world’s most comprehensive frameworks for governing artificial intelligence. The law targets high-risk AI systems, including biometric identification, predictive policing, and AI in critical infrastructure, with strict requirements for transparency, human oversight, and risk assessments.

New Orleans is at the center of a national debate as it considers an ordinance to legalize real-time facial recognition surveillance across the city.