Heathfield man sentenced in county's first AI-generated abusive image case
James Castell, 40, of Heathfield, was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on 19 December after pleading guilty to possessing and distributing indecent images of children, including AI-generated pseudo-photographs. Sussex Police began investigating in October 2024 and found more than 3,800 images, along with AI image-generation software. He received an 18-month suspended sentence, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and was ordered to register as a sex offender.
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Historical Figures Chat app generates false claims about dead people
The Historical Figures Chat app, developed by Sidhant Chaddha, allows users to chat with simulated deceased historical figures. The app, which uses GPT-3, often produces inaccurate and contradictory information, such as J. Edgar Hoover incorrectly stating his mother died when he was nine, and Tupac Shakur claiming his friendship with Notorious B.I.G. continued after his death. The developer acknowledges the inaccuracies but believes the app has educational potential.
- Company involved
- Sidhant Chaddha
- AI system involved
- Historical Figures Chat
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Buzzfeed AI ad recommends buying hat of man who died by suicide
Buzzfeed used an AI-powered ad platform that recommended a beanie similar to one worn by Brett Helling, a man who died by suicide, in a photograph on a Buzzfeed article. A reader saw the ad and reported it to 404 Media. The ad platform matched objects in images without understanding context.
- Company involved
- Buzzfeed
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Alpha School parents allege harm from AI-driven learning software
Parents of students at Alpha School in Brownsville, Texas, allege that the school's AI-driven learning software caused their children psychological distress and physical harm. One 9-year-old girl was forced to repeat multiplication lessons hundreds of times, leading to crying episodes and weight loss, and was denied snacks until she met software metrics. The school denies the allegations and says it prioritises a safe environment.
- Company involved
- Alpha School
- AI system involved
- IXL
5 source articles · read the reporting →
Embodied shuts down, Moxie robot stops working for children
Embodied, the maker of the Moxie robot for autistic children, announced it is shutting down due to financial difficulties. As a result, the cloud-dependent Moxie robot will stop functioning within days. Customers report emotional distress as children lose their robotic companions, and no refunds are being offered.
- Company involved
- Embodied, Inc.
- AI system involved
- Moxie
5 source articles · read the reporting →
