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AI Hallucinations Introduce New Software Supply Chain Vulnerabilities Researchers from the University of Texas at San Antonio, the University of Oklahoma, and Virginia Tech have identified a novel software supply chain threat from hallucinations in code-generating large language models. This phenomenon, termed slopsquatting, occurs when LLMs suggest fictitious package names during code generation. Malicious actors can exploit this by creating packages with these non-existent names, leading unsuspecting developers to incorporate potentially harmful code into their projects. Key Findings In a study involving 16 popular LLMs, none were free from package hallucinations. The models generated over 205,000 unique fictitious package names, 81 percent unique to the model that produced them. Commercial models exhibited hallucination rates of at least 5.2 percent, while open-source models showed higher rates at 21.7 percent. Notably, 58 percent of these hallucinati...

Watching China's fantastic social, technical, military, scientific, and engineering advancements and changes has been a fun year.  China's technological landscape in 2024 showcased significant strides in quantum computing, spaceflight, humanoid robotics, and AI-generated content. The launch of the superconducting quantum computer "Origin Wukong" and the reusable satellite Shijian 19 highlighted China's advancements in space and computing. With the introduction of the Tiangong electric-driven robot, the country's progress in humanoid robotics marks a leap forward in embodied intelligence. Geopolitically, China’s United Front Work Department (UFWD) continues to shape global influence while increasing tensions with the U.S. over espionage claims and Taiwan. Meanwhile, China’s commercial space sector accelerated with successful rocket launches and commercial site developments, reinforcing the nation's position as a space contender. China and the U.S. remain co...

China will invest $820 million in cutting-edge battery tech, sources say. China is planning to invest around 6 billion yuan ($820 million), the most significant amount of its kind, to encourage the research and development of all-solid-state batteries, a cutting-edge battery technology at the heart of the next generation of electric vehicles, industrial sources told China Daily. Battery makers such as Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd and Beijing Welion New Energy Technology, as well as automakers including BYD, FAW Group, SAIC Motor, and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, will be supported to focus on the R&D of seven projects related to the disruptive tech, the sources said on condition of anonymity. It is expected to further drive a trillion yuan-level market and better contribute to a global green transformation and sustainable economic growth. But the final number of projects might come down to seven, another separate source said to China Daily, adding that CATL, the world...

MP3 Download of the Audio for this Episode   ‘Mind Dominance’: The CCP’s Disinformation War on US Social Media    According to the testimony of security experts, lawmakers, and numerous reports, the CCP is adapting its strategy for psychological warfare against the weaknesses of open societies.  It is evolving its influence campaigns from corny propaganda about the glory of communism into subtler, more insidious disinformation campaigns intended to make Americans give up on their own country. “The goal of CDO is to achieve what the People's Liberation Army refers to as ‘mind dominance,’ defined as the use of propaganda as a weapon to influence public opinion to effect change in a nation’s social system, likely to create an environment favorable to China and reduce civilian and military resistance to People's Liberation Army actions,” the report said.   China sets SIM-based tracking devices in UK Government cars .    NOTE- Every developed country like t...