Emanuel Maiberg

Emanuel Maiberg

Emanuel Maiberg is interested in little known communities and processes that shape technology, troublemakers, and petty beefs. Email him at emanuel@404media.co
225 posts
Apple’s Huge “Dual Use” Face Swap App Problem Is Not Going Away
News

Apple’s Huge “Dual Use” Face Swap App Problem Is Not Going Away

Maybe Apple should ban face swapping apps entirely.
This Is Doom Running on a Diffusion Model
News

This Is Doom Running on a Diffusion Model

GameNGen is an interesting proof-of-concept for a diffusion model-based “game engine.”
1 in 10 Minors Say Their Friends Use AI to Generate Nudes of Other Kids, Survey Finds
News

1 in 10 Minors Say Their Friends Use AI to Generate Nudes of Other Kids, Survey Finds

A new survey attempts to quantify just how common it is for minors to AI-generate nudes of other minors.
What We Learned In Our First Year of 404 Media
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What We Learned In Our First Year of 404 Media

In August 2023, we launched 404 Media with a novel idea: pay journalists to do journalism. Here we are, a year later.
Google Search Includes Paid Promotion of “Nudify” Apps
News

Google Search Includes Paid Promotion of “Nudify” Apps

Google Search is providing promoted links to nonconsensual AI “undress” apps.
Reddit Hentai Community Fights Over AI-Generated Monster Girls
News

Reddit Hentai Community Fights Over AI-Generated Monster Girls

r/MonsterGirl members are tired of AI-generated slop in its subreddit.
Microsoft and Reddit Are Fighting About Why Bing’s Crawler Is Blocked on Reddit
News

Microsoft and Reddit Are Fighting About Why Bing’s Crawler Is Blocked on Reddit

Reddit says that it doesn’t want companies scraping the site for AI. Microsoft says it’s not doing that.
AI ‘Friend’ Company Spent $1.8 Million and Most of Its Funds on Domain Name
News

AI ‘Friend’ Company Spent $1.8 Million and Most of Its Funds on Domain Name

AI companion Friend appears to have spent most of its funds on buying friend.com.
Skibidi Toilet Copyright Takedown Request to Garry’s Mod Is Very Dumb
News

Skibidi Toilet Copyright Takedown Request to Garry’s Mod Is Very Dumb

A copyright takedown request against Garry’s Mod is a violation of the modding culture that made Skibidi Toilet possible.
Google Is the Only Search Engine That Works on Reddit Now Thanks to AI Deal
News

Google Is the Only Search Engine That Works on Reddit Now Thanks to AI Deal

DuckDuckGo, Bing, Mojeek, and other search engines are not returning full Reddit results any more.
AI Hell Is Begging a Chatbot for a $5 Discount on a Light Fixture
News

AI Hell Is Begging a Chatbot for a $5 Discount on a Light Fixture

I tried to get the best deal from Nibble, a chatbot that allows shoppers to “negotiate” the price of specific items in online stores.
Generative AI Hype Cycle Is Hitting ‘Trough of Disillusionment’
News

Generative AI Hype Cycle Is Hitting ‘Trough of Disillusionment’

“Investment in AI has reached a new high with a focus on generative AI, which, in most cases, has yet to deliver its anticipated business value," Gartner has said.