Will AI lose the copyright war after all?
Do tech companies need to seek permission before they train an AI model with copyrighted data? Yes, ruled one federal judge in February, concluding a…
Author: The Smart Reader Staff
Briefs and quick reads selected and edited by The Smart Reader's editorial team of Rick, Allyson, and Ryan Good.
Vin Vasive
Government has a mess of mascots Sports mascots have made waves over the years with their antics. Think of the San Diego Chicken who virtually created the…
One scary near miss
How do nuclear-capable countries know if a rocket is an attack — or just something scientific? Answer: The country firing the rocket is supposed to tell…
The plane is a Douglas Skymaster, which is mentioned in the story.
The most dangerous state to fly The ironic truth about Alaska: People must use a plane to travel Alaska and it’s one of the most dangerous places in the…
Pass the muskrat?
One little known Lenten meal tradition dates back to the 19th century when Catholics in Michigan were given special dispensation to eat Muskrat during…
Chinese scientists get creative with AI-powered robot cat
They call it a “robot dog,” but researchers at China’s University of Harbin took their inspiration from felines with an exploration robot that they hope…
DeepSeek emerges as AI dark horse
Most Americans had probably never heard of the Chinese tech startup DeepSeek at the start of 2025, but that changed in dramatic fashion within just a few…
Cautionary tale: The sound of existential crisis
Sonos isn’t the first company to damage its reputation with a single big mistake, but it’s certainly one of the more notable examples in recent years. The…
What are you spending on your sweetie?
Some of you will spend less on your sweetie pie this Valentine’s Day, but for many the day of love still gets the financial gravy. Though the economy is…
Yes, your phone is listening to you
Apple has agreed to a $95 million settlement on a lawsuit alleging that Apple used its digital assistant, Siri, to listen to users. A judge must approve…