Latest news with #Skynet
NDTV
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
James Cameron's Chilling Warning About AI: "There's Danger Of Terminator-Style Apocalypse"
Hollywood director James Cameron has warned that integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with global weapons systems could recreate the dystopian future shown in his Terminator franchise. Cameron, who is working on a script for Terminator 7, has previously suggested that it was getting harder for him to write science fiction as modern technology continues to eclipse any fictional world he might create. "I do think there's still a danger of a Terminator-style apocalypse where you put AI together with weapons systems, even up to the level of nuclear weapon systems, nuclear defence counterstrike, all that stuff," Cameron said in an interview with Rolling Stone. "Because the theatre of operations is so rapid, the decision windows are so fast, it would take a super-intelligence to be able to process it, and maybe we'll be smart and keep a human in the loop. But humans are fallible, and there have been a lot of mistakes made that have put us right on the brink of international incidents that could have led to nuclear war. So I don't know." Cameron warned that three major existential threats were peaking at the same time, which posed a major challenge to all of humanity. I feel like we're at this cusp in human development where you've got the three existential threats: climate and our overall degradation of the natural world, nuclear weapons, and super-intelligence. They're all sort of manifesting and peaking at the same time. Maybe the super-intelligence is the answer." Notably, Cameron's 1984 Terminator movie, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, is set in a world where humanity is ruled by an AI defence network called Skynet. 'It gets more scary' Cameron is not the only one to sound the alarm about AI. Geoffrey Hinton, regarded by many as the 'godfather of AI', recently stated that the technology could soon develop its own language, making it impossible for humans to track the machines. "Now it gets more scary if they develop their own internal languages for talking to each other," said Mr Hinton. "I wouldn't be surprised if they developed their own language for thinking, and we have no idea what they're thinking." Mr Hinton added that AI has already demonstrated that it can think terrible thoughts, and it is not unthinkable that the machines could eventually think in ways that humans cannot track or interpret.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
How Hiroshima nuclear bomb inspired movie franchise
It was a scene so chillingly accurate that nuclear experts praised director James Cameron for 'getting it right'. The imagined sequence in Terminator 2: Judgement Day showed leading character Sarah Connor getting obliterated by an atomic bomb that had hit Los Angeles . Now, Cameron is planning an 'intense' film about the 1945 nuclear attack on the Japanese city of Hiroshima that killed around 130,000 people 80 years ago, on August 6, 1945. The production will be an adaptation of new book Ghosts of Hiroshima, which draws on 200 interviews with survivors of the blast, as well as those who escaped death in the subsequent attack on Nagasaki. Speaking this week, Cameron told how the Terminator films - the first was released 1984 - were directly inspired by his experience of seeing a documentary about the Hiroshima blast when he was at college. 'I remember a trolley, a burnt-out trolley, its floor filled with a pile of skulls. That image became a primal image in The Terminator,' he said in the Telegraph . The director added: 'And then, of course, we played it all out in Terminator 2, actually showing the effects of the nuclear weapons.' The first Terminator depicts Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor attempting to escape the clutches of the cyborg killer robot portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Terminator has been sent back from 2029, when civilization has been destroyed by a nuclear holocaust sparked by artificial intelligence system Skynet. He added: 'When he was making that film, notwithstanding whatever the studio wanted from it, he said, I'm going to make it as intense as I can make it...' The director wants to make the film as 'real for you as I can', he told DiscussingFilm . And he added that he is 'afraid' of his upcoming production, perhaps because it is set to do something that Hollywood has so far shied away from: actually depicting the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even Christopher Nolan's 2023 film Oppenheimer, which told the story of how the atom bomb was developed, avoided showing the moment the technology was used on Japan in August 1945. The United States made the decision to drop nuclear weapons in an attempt to end the Second World War. Although Adolf Hitler had by then taken his own life and Nazi Germany had surrendered, Japan continued to fight on. In Hiroshima, the blast - at 8.15am on August 6, 1945 - obliterated everything within the surrounding square mile, killing around 80,000 people in the blink of an eye. Tens of thousands more died from their devastating injuries in the 48 hours that followed. A total of five square miles of the city were consumed by fire storms, and the blast obliterated 90 per cent of Hiroshima's structures. The police, fire and ambulance services were all virtually wiped out, with survivors left to fend for themselves before help arrived from further afield. The follow-up attack on Nagasaki came on August 9, after Japan refused to surrender despite the carnage in Hiroshima. The device - Fat Man - was carried by the B-29 bomber named Bockscar. It claimed at least 50,000 more lives and wiped out a third of the city. Japan finally agreed to the Allies' terms of surrender on August 14.
Metro
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Film hailed ‘best sci-fi of all time' now available to stream for free
An iconic 80s sci-fi film lauded as the 'best of all time' is streaming for free right now on ITVX. Released in 1984, The Terminator launched director James Cameron's career while solidifying leading man Arnold Schwarzenegger as an action hero. It stars the actor as the titular cybernetic assassin who is sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 in a bid to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose unborn son will save mankind from extinction in the future. At the same time, Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) is a soldier sent back in time to protect Sarah from the threat of Skynet, a hostile artificial intelligence. Defying studios' low expectations, The Terminator grossed a whopping $79.3 million (£59M) against a budget of just $6.4M (£4.7M). It spawned sequel films, a TV series, video games, novels, and a whole plethora of merchandise while regularly featuring on lists of the greatest sci-fi films of all time. The Terminator holds a rare 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics' consensus reading: 'With its impressive action sequences, taut economic direction, and relentlessly fast pace, it's clear why The Terminator continues to be an influence on sci-fi and action flicks.' In their review, The Spectator said: 'It's engrossing, suspenseful, has a personality all of its own and absolutely stands the test of time.' The Washington Post added: 'The Terminator brings film violence into the realm of the surreal.' Flavorwire wrote: 'Much of Terminator's greatness is due to its low-budget aesthetic and lo-fi energy; perhaps out of necessity, Cameron's sense of storytelling has a lean efficiency that both he and the series have long since abandoned.' Time Out said the film was 'damn close to perfect', while the BBC hailed it as 'one of the most effective science fiction films of recent decades.' The Hollywood Reporter echoed the same sentiments, saying: 'The havoc makes for a genuine steel metal trap of a movie that may very well be the best picture of its kind since The Road Warrior.' Speaking in 2021, Avatar director Cameron reflected on the unlikely inspiration behind The Terminator. 'The Terminator came from a dream that I had while I was sick with a fever in a cheap pensione in Rome in 1981,' he told the British Film Institute. More Trending 'It was the image of a chrome skeleton emerging from a fire. When I woke up, I began sketching on the hotel stationery. 'The first sketch I did showed a metal skeleton cut in half at the waist, crawling over a tile floor, using a large kitchen knife to pull itself forward while reaching out with the other hand. In a second drawing, the character is threatening a crawling woman. 'Minus the kitchen knife, these images became the finale of The Terminator almost exactly.' The Terminator is streaming now on ITVX Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: I'm a horror expert – these are the 7 best films of 2025 so far MORE: 'Masterpiece' 70s thriller with shocking twist now available to stream for free MORE: Nostalgic 90s sequel that 'ruined my Friday night' soars to number one on Netflix
Techday NZ
18-07-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Cyber attackers use AI to automate exploits & sell deepfakes
New analysis from ReliaQuest has found that cyber attackers are increasingly commercialising and refining the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in operations, with up to 45% of initial access attempts attributed to automated vulnerability discovery and SQL injection scanning. AI-skewed threat landscape The report, based on research and threat detection data from ReliaQuest, details how AI-powered bots and frameworks now automate much of the early stage attack process. These tools are not only accelerating the pace of exploitation but are also reducing the technical barriers to entry for less-skilled attackers, making advanced tactics more widely accessible. Automation has led to attackers leveraging AI as the "brain" behind malware campaigns. Whereas previous use of large language models (LLMs) and deepfake technology amplified existing strategies, ReliaQuest has seen these techniques become more widespread and sophisticated across both criminal and nation-state operations. Malware adapts to AI defences The report observes that while LLM-generated scripts often include distinctive markers such as verbose code comments or generic variable names, attackers are adapting quickly. The 'Skynet' malware, for example, not only integrates sandbox evasion and TOR-encrypted communications, but also employs prompt injection loaded into memory to manipulate AI-based security tools. ReliaQuest's analysis cautions that "Relying solely on NGAV or other single-layer defences is no longer enough. Enterprises must embrace continuous innovation, combining defence-in-depth strategies with advanced detection capabilities to stay ahead." Malware and usability Attackers continue to deploy existing malware variants with newer AI-backed features. The report highlights the evolution of the 'Rhadamanthys' infostealer into an AI-powered toolkit with features including AI-driven password recovery, optical character recognition for data extraction, and AI analytics for data tagging and campaign tracking. These developments enable even inexperienced cybercriminals to conduct sophisticated campaigns: "Its integrated AI features enable even rookie criminals to conduct large-scale theft campaigns. The latest iteration automatically tags and filters stolen data based on perceived value and provides a dashboard to track campaign statistics." Commercialisation of deepfakes "Groups now position themselves as professional 'Deepfake-as-a-Service' operators, blending slick marketing with the shadowy ambiguity of deepfake technology that's dangerous in the wrong hands," the report says. Services such as CREO Deepfakes and VHQ Deepfake sell highly realistic video content for applications ranging from impersonation scams to cryptocurrency marketing. Deepfake operators advertise advanced features, including geographic targeting and optimised traffic alignment, and the number of service providers is growing. The report notes, "Attacks are becoming smarter, more frequent, and tougher to detect." Malicious GPTs and jailbreaking trends ReliaQuest's research finds a growing trend of jailbreaking mainstream LLM models such as OpenAI GPT-4o, Anthropic Claude, and X's Grok. Jailbreak-as-a-service marketplaces now offer pre-built malicious prompts for phishing campaigns, malware scripts, and utilities for credit card validation and cryptocurrency laundering. Many new malicious GPT offerings are simply repackaged public models sold at inflated prices. "Investigations revealed that many of these models simply utilised open APIs, added bypass instructions, and repackaged tools at significantly inflated prices - sometimes costing three times more than their original versions." The report adds that, "Jailbroken versions remove ethical boundaries, content restrictions, and security filters, turning regulated tools into unregulated engines of cybercrime." This commoditisation is also lowering the technical threshold for less experienced criminals. Automating vulnerability discovery at scale ReliaQuest's latest data shows that 45% of initial access in customer incidents over the past quarter involved vulnerability exploitation, highlighting the impact of AI-driven automation. Autonomous AI frameworks and bots can now handle tasks such as asset scanning, vulnerability confirmation, and exploitation with little human oversight. The report's findings state, "AI-powered bots are transforming the way weaknesses are identified, excelling at tasks like scanning for open ports, detecting misconfigurations, and pinpointing outdated software with unmatched speed and precision. These bots often outpace defenders' ability to patch vulnerabilities, creating new challenges for security operations teams." SQL injection automation Automation is also affecting SQL injection (SQLi) attacks, enabling attackers to discover and exploit web application vulnerabilities with ease. The tool "bsqlbf," for example, specialises in automating blind SQLi, allowing attackers to test payloads and confirm vulnerabilities without directly accessing underlying data. "Automation has transformed SQLi attacks, dramatically reducing the time, effort, and expertise needed. By streamlining discovery and exploitation, automated tools allow attackers to exploit vulnerabilities at scale, amplifying the risks posed by insecure applications and databases." Defensive measures and key recommendations ReliaQuest advises organisations to adopt a multi-layered, proactive security stance. Key recommendations include prioritising threat hunting, ensuring comprehensive system logging, training employees to spot AI-generated attacks, deploying advanced detection tools, and reviewing the use of AI within sensitive operational environments. The report emphasises, "As AI-powered threats evolve, defenders must stay ahead by focusing on detecting malicious techniques, restructuring security processes, and addressing AI-related risks."
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Meta delivers eye-popping AI announcement
Catastrophic forgetting. Don't worry. I am not talking about politics. Catastrophic forgetting is a "lovely" feature of deep neural networks. They overwrite old knowledge when learning new things. There are different ways to mitigate this, but the problem persists. If this problem were solved, we wouldn't have new papers with new mitigation methods. The most recent one is from July 11, titled "Catastrophic Forgetting Mitigation Through Plateau Phase Activity Profiling." Science still doesn't know how human memory works. I don't even need to discuss different theories about how memories are "stored" in the brain to prove my point. Related: Microsoft wants to help you live longer Quote from a study, Beyond the Pump: A Narrative Study Exploring Heart Memory, should be enough: "Studies indicate that heart transplant recipients may exhibit preferences, emotions, and memories resembling those of the donors, suggesting a form of memory storage within the transplanted organ." What is the next big advancement for AI, artificial hearts? I've already written that there is no intelligence without consciousness, and you can't get consciousness by "building" intelligence. It does not work that way. Alas, I have to admit, forgetting is something that Homo sapiens does have in common with neural networks. Humans forget things too quickly. This is why our civilization works the way it does. Don't get me wrong: I don't hate "AI". Google's DeepMind is doing wonderful research on deciphering the way Dolphins communicate, which is a perfect example of how large language models are put to good use. Unfortunately, most companies are super focused on using LLMs to build "real" AI chatbots, which will lead nowhere. One company that has become hellbent on building the best AI in the universe is Meta Platforms. Don't you hate those horrible buzzwords like quiet quitting, career catfishing, and other cringeworthy horrors of LinkedIn? Well, I have one buzzword for Meta free of charge: panic investing. Meta (META) thinks the clock is ticking, and some other company might get the holy grail of all tech, such as AGI, superintelligence, or, to be comical, Skynet. Whoever makes that AI will be spared by the Terminators. That is how Meta's investing strategy makes it look. I covered Meta's string of recent investments, which ended with what to me looks like a desperate move. But let's go over that list again. Related: How Apple may solve its Google Search problem The investment speed shifted gear after Meta invested $14.8 billion in Scale AI and acquired a 49% nonvoting stake. The company poached big AI names like Alexandr Wang, Koray Kavukcuoglu, Dr. Jack Rae, voice AI expert Johan Schalkwyk, OpenAI researchers Lucas Beyer, Alexander Kolesnikov, and Xiaohua Zhai. The desperate move was hiring Apple's executive in charge of AI models, Ruoming Pang. Meta isn't stopping; if anything, it is shifting gears again and investing even more. Mark Zuckerberg posted his plan for superintelligence on Threads and Facebook on Monday. "We're also going to invest hundreds of billions of dollars into compute to build superintelligence. We have the capital from our business to do this," said Zuckerberg in his message. Zuckerberg also said that Meta is building several multi-GW clusters. The first one, Prometheus, is supposed to go online next year. That is an interesting name choice, but it is a bit ominous. At least it isn't Skynet. More AI Stocks: Veteran fund manager raises eyebrows with latest Meta Platforms moveGoogle plans major AI shift after Meta's surprising $14 billion moveAnalysts revamp forecast for Nvidia-backed AI stock According to Tom's Hardware, Elon Musk's xAI is buying an overseas power plant and shipping it to the U.S. xAI's new data center is supposed to be powered by one million GPUs and up to 2 Gigawatts of power under one roof, which could power almost 2 million homes. It looks like Zuckerberg needed to top this, so he also announced that Meta is building Hyperion, which will be able to scale up to 5GW over several years. So, I guess that will consume power for about 4.75 million homes. Nice, but why stop there? "We're building multiple more titan clusters as well. Just one of these covers a significant part of the footprint of Manhattan," said Zuckerberg. If this pace continues, Meta should announce a supercomputer covering a Rhode Island-sized area before the end of the year. Related: Oracle CEO sends blunt 2-word message on its business The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
