Month: February 2026

will have 129 million euros to achieve it

by

It is the fourteenth supercomputer in the world according to the TOP500 listis in Spain and is called MareNostrum 5. But it is also a “living” system because it continues to evolve and adapt to new times. In fact, it has just received a notable injection of capital for a critical update: the one that will allow it to work with AI model training and inference. 129 million for MareNostrum 5. As explained at the BSC (Barcelona Supercomputing Center), the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) has signed the contract for the acquisition of new hardware elements for MareNostrum 5. It does so with the collaboration of Fsas Technologies (Fujitsu) and Telefónica. The budget is close to 129 million euros and will be co-financed 50% by EuroHPC and the other 50% by Spain, Portugal and Turkey. The update will be installed during the first half of 2026. The project, defined in the documentation of the European Commission, started in July 2025. MareNostrum 5 adapts. This update will not be a “more of the same”, but is focused entirely on artificial intelligence and machine learning workloads. The project also has another objective: to strengthen European digital sovereignty, which will reduce technological dependencies and prevent unwanted technology transfers outside the EU. HPC used to rule, now AI will also rule. The expanded architecture of MareNostrum 5 will make use of specialized compute partitions. Thus, there will be at least one for LLM training and another for inference. Today this supercomputer has five different partitions and according to the TOP500 list it has an Rmax power of 175.30 PFLOPS (FP64, Linkpack) or 215.40 PFLOPS according to EuroHPC. Its total power capacity is 20 MW. 30 Exaflops FP4 for AI. In the white paper the goal is to achieve 30 FP4 exaflops, which seems like a huge jump, but it must be clarified that the current 0.17 FP64 exaflops are dedicated to classic High Performance Computing (HPC). These FP4 exaflops are dedicated to training and massive inference, and cannot be easily compared to those FP64 exaflops. The technical description of the GH72 partition, even without explicitly mentioning NVIDIA, clearly fits your DGX GB200 NVL72. NVIDIA in the pools. Although the technical documentation does not specify what type of hardware will be used, it does talk about a GH72 partition whose specifications are very similar to the DGX GB200 NVL72 supercomputer. It is not specified how many GPUs, what type of GPUs or how much memory they will have, but there are minimum requirements, such as “180 GB of HBM3e memory or higher.” That rules out the H100 and H200, but models like the B200/GB200 would enter (MareNostrum 5 currently uses those) or the B300/GB300, in addition to others like the AMD Instinct MI350/MI355X, which according to market data could arrive with 256 GB of HBM3e memory. And soon, own chip. Yesterday, the BSC simultaneously announced good news about its efforts to develop its own chip. The so-called Cinco Ranch TC1 developed by the Barcelona Zettascale Lab has been validated and its experimental implementation it has been a success. We are looking at a chip based on RISC-V architecture and that uses Intel 3 3 nm manufacturing technology. It is a relatively modest chip that can operate at 1.25 GHz, but it is still a notable first step for the BSC to also continue advancing its role in semiconductor design. European supercomputers. This project is part of EuroHPC’s program to keep European supercomputing moving forward. Currently it has 12 supercomputers distributed throughout Europe, among which Jupiter (Germany, 4th in the world on the TOP500 list) and the future Alice Recoque (France), which will be consolidated as the first two exascale systems on the old continent. In Xataka | The EU wants to close the gap in the race for AI with 750 million euros. And it is good news for Barcelona

This is Movistar’s offer without permanence

by

The greater the competitiveness among telecom companies, the greater the offers and discounts they launch. It is great news for us, as we have very good options to choose from if we are looking to have fiber, telephone and other services at home. That’s exactly where this offer from Movistar comes in: you can get its 300 Mb symmetrical fiber optic for 19.90 euros per month for a year and get, for only five euros more, Movistar Plus+. And be careful: without permanence. Fiber and Movistar Plus+ for less than 25 euros Let’s see the rate. First of all, the price: this normally costs 30 euros, so we are looking at a 30% discount. It is true that it is only for one year, but since it does not have permanence, we can unsubscribe at any time. There are 300 Mb of symmetrical speed that include unlimited calls to landlines and 50 minutes per month to mobile phones with Smart WiFi 6 Router including. To this, we must add Movistar Plus+. The platform is priced at 9.99 euros per month (or 99.90 euros per year), but if we add it to the fiber rate, we will have it for only 5 euros per month, so we would be paying only 24.90 euros per month to have fiber, telephone and a streaming platform that broadcasts a LaLiga match every day and many other sporting events. ⚡ IN SUMMARY: Movistar fiber offer today ✅ THE BEST Good price (without permanence): With the offer, the price of Movistar fiber remains at a very competitive price. And whenever we want, we can unsubscribe without problem. Movistar Plus+ at half price: Having movies, series and even football for only 5 euros a month is amazing. ❌ THE WORST For 12 months only: This price is only valid for one year, so it is an offer with an expiration date. 300 Mb is too short for you: For many users, symmetrical 300 Mb may be a great fit. Now, it is not a speed for everyone. 💡 BUY IT IF… You are looking for a fiber with a very good technical service and that includes a platform with movies, series and football for a little more per month. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… Do you prefer a more long-term offer so as not to worry about increases or you are not interested in Movistar Plus+ at all. You can also contract Movistar Plus+ separately You may be interested in Movistar Plus+, but prefer to opt for a different fiber offer. No problem: this streaming platform It can be contracted regardless of the operator we arewithout having to take another Movistar product. The price is 9.99 euros per month, as we said above, but one thing must be taken into account: you can share it with another person without a problem. Monthly subscription to Movistar Plus+ The price could vary. We earn commission from these links In return, we will have a huge catalog of high-quality movies and series featuring the Oscar nominee ‘Sirat‘, but also football. Without going any further, this week we will be able to see both Copa del Rey matches: Athletic-Real Sociedad (day 10) and Atlético de Madrid-Barcelona (day 11). In addition, also Real Madrid’s next match against Real Sociedad on Valentine’s Day. Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Movistar In Xataka | The best streaming platforms 2025 | Comparison of Disney+, Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Movistar Plus+, Filmin, Apple TV, SkyShowtime and Rakuten TV: catalog, functions and prices In Xataka | Best televisions in quality price. Which one to buy and seven recommended 4K smart TVs

There is an outbreak of swine fever in Barcelona and the most worrying thing is that no one is able to explain where it came from.

by

In November 2025 in Catalonia all the alarms went off due to an outbreak of African swine fever that forced the slaughter of a large number of animals and the application of very restrictive measures. At that moment everyone was wondering where this pathogen could have emerged from, and all eyes were on the IRTA-CReSAa high security center that worked with these pathogens. A failed hypothesis. On the table it seemed perfect, since everything matched. But the reality is that the latest report of the committee of experts, endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculturehas completely dismissed this theory. In this way, we already know that It was not a leak from this laboratory that works with this type of pathogens, but then… Where did a virus come from that has already infected more than a hundred wild boars and that has the scientific community crying out for more data? DNA doesn’t lie. The suspicion about this laboratory was completely legitimate, since in November a technical incident occurred in a laboratory digester which coincided with the appearance of dead wild boars in the area. a team fundamentalsince it converts the bodies of infected animals into sterile waste without the presence of their infection, but its failure could have triggered this. But genomics has come into play to dismantle itsince, according to the preliminary reportthe analyzes carried out by the Central Veterinary Laboratory of Algete and experts from IRB Barcelona are categorical. Specifically, 81 samples have been analyzed and compared with the viral strains that were manipulated within CReSA and the result is that there is no genetic match. The virus was already there. This is where the plot thickens. If the virus did not leave the laboratory during the November incident… when did it arrive? The experts and the ministerial report suggest we have been looking at the wrong timetable. All this because, according to analysis of the corpses and the dispersion of the 23 initial outbreaks, which have already escalated to more than 100 positive wild boars According to the latest updates, they indicate that the virus had been circulating “under the radar” for much longer. It is estimated that infections could have started up to four months before the official outbreak was detected. This almost definitively eliminates the connection with the failure of the CReSA digester in November, since the virus was already completely free in the mountains of Barcelona when that occurred. There is a hypothesis. If we rule out the involvement of the laboratory and also the natural arrival by wildlife, we are only left with the most mundane and worrying option: humans. And the current consensus points to the introduction of this virus through contaminated meat products into our environment. A simple piece of infected foodas a sausage sandwich made with meat from an infected pig in another country dumped in a peri-urban area accessible to wild boar is enough to start an epidemic. Something that is on the table right now, with the theory of “passive poisoning” with the human vector that brings the virus in the suitcase and the local fauna does the rest by scavenging through the trash. What science demands. Although the “accidental” origin is reassuring in terms of biological safety, the management of information has opened another front. International experts such as Edward Holmes, famous for his work on the origin of COVID-19, They have raised their voices about the lack of transparency in the information. Although the ministry and the expert committee claim that there is no match between the virus DNA found in those infected and in the laboratory, the global scientific community is calling for the complete sequenced genomes to be published for independent analysis. In the era of Open Sciencesaying “trust us” is no longer enough, as researchers want to see the raw data to understand the unique mutations of this “Barcelona virus” and trace its true family tree. And now what? The outbreak is currently active with more than 100 wild boars affected and the Civil Guard investigating the origin. It is true that the priority has gone from looking for culprits in white coats to contain an expansion that threatens the Spanish pork industry by quarantining those possibly exposed to prevent it from continuing to spread. What we know today is that technology has saved a laboratory’s reputation, but it has left us with a more disturbing reality: biosecurity depends not only on high-tech facilities, but on what we throw in the trash on a field day. Images | Kemal Berkay Dogan In Xataka | The Argentine sea hid one of the most disturbing animals in the world: an 11-meter-long “ghost jellyfish”

the “eyes” to anticipate Russia’s drones

by

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine has had to fight a parallel battle far from the front: to convince his allies of what weapons he needed, when and how far that aid could go without cross sensitive political lines. Between delays, partial vetoes and fears of escalation, air defense became one of the most critical bottlenecks for months, leaving kyiv exposed to campaigns missiles and drones while the international response moved more slowly than the war. A radar that changes the calculation. Therefore, the arrival in Ukraine of the Spanish radar LTR-25 launcher represents a qualitative leap in its air defense, by incorporating a long-range detection capacity capable of identifying threats to more than 450 kilometers. From drones and cruise missiles to ballistic systems and stealth aircraft, radar will help in a conflict where Russia has made massive and combined air strike one of its main instruments of attrition. The system, developed by Indra, is neither a prototype nor a future promise, but rather a technology already validated by NATO on its eastern flank, designed to operate in environments saturated with interference and electronic warfare and to integrate without friction with the Western batteries that protect the Ukrainian sky. The unexpected ally. Another reading of the movement is clear. Ukraine has just received from Spain what it had been taking for months claiming the United States: a true long range defense that allows us to see Russian attacks coming early enough to organize an effective response. While Washington has been reticent to give up certain sensors and strategic capabilities, Madrid has taken a step that changes the Ukrainian defensive depth, offering not only interceptors, but the necessary “eyes” to anticipate and coordinate defense against waves of missiles and drones that seek to saturate the system. In that sense, the LTR-25 is not just another radar, but a critical piece that extends reaction time and reduces Ukraine’s structural vulnerability to Moscow. Technology proven in the most demanding environment. The LTR-25 radar operates in L-band with phased array architecture and digital beam forming. In other words, it has characteristics that allow it track hundreds of targets simultaneously with great precision even under electronic attack, a key capability to detect low radar signature targets such as Shahed drones or cruise missiles. Your mobility tactics and philosophy “turn on, detect and move” reinforce its survival on a front where Russia tries to hunt radars and command systems, and its integration with command networks and NATO control makes it a force multiplier for systems such as Patriot, SAMP/T, IRIS-T or NASAMS already deployed in Ukraine. Silent revolution of Spanish industry. For decades, Spain maintained a low profile in defensebut in the meantime it was building an advanced technological base that today emerges strongly on the European stage. Here one name rises above the rest. Indra, with one of the largest radar factories on the continent, has supplied systems to countries like franceGermany or the United Kingdom, and now translates that knowledge into a real conflict that acts as possibly the toughest testbed imaginable. Hence this delivery symbolizes a profound change: from discreet partner to strategic provider of critical capabilities in high-intensity warfare. Beyond the gesture. If you also want, the delivery of the LTR-25 It is part of a much broader shift in Spanish policy towards Ukraine, one backed by an unprecedented military and financial support package and staged at the highest level by Spanish President Pedro Sánchez alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Beyond symbolism, the contract with Indra opens the door to future deliveries if the system proves effective, consolidating industrial cooperation that reflects a broader European trend: technological alliances of all colors that, pushed by war, evolve towards full and lasting defense associations. Image | Indra, RawPixel In Xataka | Russia has activated the “dandelion” armor: the scarier the tank, the more confused Ukraine’s drones are In Xataka | Russia has activated the “dandelion” armor: the scarier the tank, the more confused Ukraine’s drones are

China has spent 2025 putting things into orbit. Now they have gone further by launching a reusable space plane

by

Where I said ‘Mars’, I say ‘Moon’. For years, Elon Musk and SpaceX have maintained that colonize Mars It was humanity’s next great leap. While others (and NASA itself) considered the Moon still interesting, SpaceX looked down on her. Until recently, whenThe company has taken a step back recognizing that colonizing the Moon is easier than Mars. And of course, on the other side of the world we can have an explanation: China has the Moon in its sights. And they have just done another test with their mysterious reusable ship. The test. Last Saturday, and in the most aseptic way possible, China launched a reusable spacecraft. This was confirmed by the state news media Xinhua through an release Which leaves more questions than answers. Officially, we only know that, from one of its multiple launch bases, the country launched the vehicle on the back of a Long March-2F rocket. Mission? “The experimental spacecraft will carry out technological verification of reusable spacecraft, providing data and technical support for the peaceful use of space.” What technologies? Why do you want to know that, good night. TOP SECRET. This vehicle it’s not new. In fact, this would be the fourth trip since 2020 of an experimental ship whose characteristics are being kept in a state of absolute secrecy. On the first trip, this model would have been orbiting the Earth for two days. In 2022 it was launched again and returned in 2023 after 276 days going around. And in September 2024 there was another launch that returned after 268 days. As we say, the secrecy is total, so we do not know what type of vehicle it is, but there has been speculation that it may be the answer to the X-37B robotic vehicle of the United States Air Force. Neither Reuters nor Xinhua comment that it could be the Shenlong, the Chinese ‘Divine Dragon’ which is the competition of the aforementioned X-37B. Because if we talk about reusable rockets like SpaceX’s Falcon, China also has an answer: the LandSpace. They don’t stop throwing things. Beyond the reusable ship, China has gotten right into the space race. Like Europeis another of the countries that seeks space sovereignty, and one of the toughest tests was carried out at the beginning of December. To test the overload capacity of its systems and analyze whether they can handle several missions at the same time, in early December, China completed four space missions in four days. In total, there were 80 orbital launches in 2025, surpassing the previous record of 68 launches and achieving with this proof of this something only within the reach of the current SpaceX. And it seems that 2026 has started as last year ended. Target: Moon. Among China’s medium-term objectives is to take astronauts to the Moon before 2030. They want to compete against the NASA and its Artemis mission for establish a research base on the satellite while they finalize the building your own space station. The Moon has become that last piece of cheese on the plate, but instead of giving it up, the great powers want to get hold of it. Reason? Its great value to carry out experiments to expand sovereignty on other planets, but also with regard to resources that can be exploited and sent to Earth refers. Image | Baijiahao In Xataka | We have not known for 10 years what the US fighter jets saw in the sky. Until a Chinese copy has appeared

features, price and technical sheet

by

Time flies as if we didn’t realize it. It has been almost three years since BYD was presented in Spain. He did it with a presentation in Madrid in which he brought three electric cars. Two of them (Tang and Han) with a clear aspirational focus, proof of what they were capable of doing. The third was the BYD Atto 3, a car for the general public. That day we had the opportunity to get on it. A car that left a very good impression on us and that, without a doubt, anticipated that what we would see from BYD was going to be very worthwhile. But that car came with some rocks in its backpack. The battery remained at 60 kWh and the face power at just 88 kW in direct current. Figures that have been complicating their sales. Now BYD is coming to solve the problem with a BYD Atto 3 EVO, which is a completely new car to improve and expand the technical characteristics of this electric SUV. Technical specifications of the BYD Atto 3 EVO byd atto 3 EVO BODY TYPE. five-seater SUV MEASUREMENTS AND WEIGHT. 4,455 meters long, 1,875 meters wide, 1,615 meters high and 2,720 meters wheelbase. 2,160 kg weight. TRUNK. 490 liters rear trunk 101 liter front trunk. MAXIMUM POWER. Design: 313 HP Excellence: 449 HP WLTP CONSUMPTION. Design: 510 kilometers of autonomy, 14.6 kWh/100 km Excellence: 470 kilometers of autonomy, 15.9 kWh/100km ENVIRONMENTAL DISTINCTIVE. Zero emissions DRIVING AIDS (ADAS). Adaptive cruise control with emergency braking, lane keeping, lane change assistance, blind spot sensor, rear cross traffic alert, sign recognition, rear camera and 360º projection. OTHERS. 15.6 inch central screen. Own software with Google services and AI-powered voice assistant. Wireless charging for cooled mobile phone. V2L bidirectional charging to charge external devices. Heated seats and Head-Up Display in the Excellence version ELECTRIC HYBRID. No. Plug-in HYBRID. No. electric Yes. 74.8 kWh battery in both cases. Design (313 HP): 510 kilometers of autonomy, 14.6 kWh/100 km Excellence (449 HP): 470 kilometers of autonomy, 15.9 kWh/100km price and release Now available: Design: from 42,990 euros before aid and discounts Excellence: from 45,990 euros before aid and discounts Prices for the Canary Islands: Design: from 35,520 euros before aid and discounts Excellence: from 38,008 euros before aid and discounts More autonomy at a low price To explain why this car comes to the market, we are going to tell something obvious: BYD is a Chinese brand. Yes, I know it’s not my best phrase but it explains why in less than three years the brand has launched the renewal of a car that was already among the 10 best-sellers in our country in 2025. In China, the production and renewal rates are very high. Workers from Chinese brands tell usand it is something that we have also heard about with BYD, that China has blown up the traditional times that were available to develop a car. Normally, a generation of a car for a traditional brand lasted between six and eight years, with an aesthetic renewal after its commercial half-life. Times are now moving at a different pace.. China lives in continuous need to renew models given its aggressive price war. It is added that the electric car is a new technology that is advancing at a good pace in its developments. To this we add that BYD has begun to understand what the European market demands better than when it arrived. Now their cars have more batteries and they have a serious bet on the plug-in hybrid market. That is why the great novelty of this BYD Atto 3 EVO is the expansion of its battery. The car is now built on the e-Platform 3.0 which has 800 volt technology for a battery that grows to 74.8 kWh and a maximum charging power of 220 kW. In this way, the car can go from 10% to 80% autonomy in 25 minutes. Accompanies this increase in battery two potential versions. The Design version is rear-wheel drive and has 313 HP, with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds. The option with all-wheel drive is the Excellence and reaches 449 HP thanks to two electric motors, which allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. The difference with the outgoing model is substantial because the car has gone from being an interesting vehicle for the urban environment but that required some patience for a long trip to a car completely capable of being that car for everything. BYD announces a range for the Excellence version of 470 kilometers according to the WLTP mixed cycle. The Design option, the least powerful, increases the autonomy in the mixed cycle up to 510 kilometers. For a realistic measurement on the road, if the car moves between 20 and 22 kWh/100 km we would be talking about about 350 kilometers between recharges. All it takes is lowering that consumption would bring us closer to 400 kilometers between recharges. Furthermore, with these changes, the BYD Atto 3 EVO has increased the space for the rear trunk, which now reaches 490 liters, to which another 101 liters must be added in the front trunk. In the technological section of the cabin, this new generation already receives the infotainment system that we have seen in the latest models of the Chinese brand, with integrated Google services and a voice assistant powered by AI. The screen is 15.6 inches and the instrument panel grows to 8.8 inches. The new BYD electric car also has NFC access, cooled wireless charging for the mobile phone, V2L function to charge devices thanks to the car battery and, in the upper segment, the Head-Up Display and heated seats are added. The car is now available and BYD has announced the following prices: Version RRP Price with aid + discounts Financed price + discounts + aid Design (510 km autonomy) 42,990 euros 33,455 euros 30,455 euros Excellence (470 km autonomy) 45,990 euros … Read more

The US spent $600 billion building its highway network. It’s less than what big tech companies are going to spend on AI this year

by

The irruption of ChatGPT in the technological panorama in 2022 marked the starting signal in the AI ​​race; a race in which, year after year, large technology companies continue to increase their spending without stopping. 2026 has just begun and, far from letting it go, the big tech They have put their foot even further on the accelerator. All but one. walk or bust. We already know the planned capex for 2026 of the main technology companies, that is, what they plan to invest in capital expenditures. amazon: 200,000 million Alphabet: 175-185 billion Goal: 115-135 billion Microsoft: 140,000 million Apple: 13,000 million If we add it up taking the highest figures they have given, it is 673,000 million dollars, if we take the lowest figures it would be 643,000 million. In any case it is outrageous. In 2025 the figures were already dizzying and we are talking about an increase of around 60%. There has come a point where we have to stop and ask ourselves: How many zeros does that have? (yes twelve). Context of this madness. Here are a few comparisons to put this figure in context. It is superior to Sweden GDP in 2025 (662,000 million), that of Israel (610,000 million) and that of Singapore (574,000 million). As pointed out this user in Xexceeds what it cost to build the entire US interstate highway system (about 634,000 million) and is a quarter of the entire global military spending in a whole year. It’s like spending $1.2 million per minute for an entire year. It doesn’t make any sense. The market response. The fear of a bubble was noted after the announcements of the different companies, causing sharp falls in the stock market despite the fact that all of them have made profits (some breaking records). amazon fell 12% after announcing a capex of 200,000 millionmuch higher than forecasts Alphabet (Google) achieved record revenues, but it was not enough to convince the markets and its shares fell 10% in the following days Goal also announced record revenue and they had a 10% increase. However, days later things changed and they fell 8%. Microsoft fit the strongest blow, with a drop of 18%. Additionally, they revealed that 45% of their cloud business contracts are for OpenAI and the market does not reward dependency. Apple was the winner, with an increase of more than 7% since they announced results. The declines have been corrected in recent days and all companies have seen their value stabilize, but the message was clear: investors fear that this level of capex is far ahead of the ability of AI to generate profits in the short term. Where are they going to get the money from? It’s the big question. As stated in Financial Timescompanies must choose between reducing shareholder returns, using their cash reserves, or borrowing more money. In the case of Amazon, estimates point to a cash flow of 180 billion, Alphabet 195 billion and Meta 130 billion. The threat of free cash flow falling into negative territory is there, so we can expect them to issue more debt and stop share buybacks. Think different. Then we have Apple, which announced revenues of 144 billion in the last quarter, boosted by sales of the iPhone 17 during the Christmas campaign. Its capex is a fraction of what other companies have spent because Apple doesn’t build data centers, it outsources them. He agreement with Google to use Gemini can be interpreted as They have lost the AI ​​racebut in the context of a possible bubble it is a masterstroke: Google is the one who assumes the brutal spending on infrastructure and who is exposed to the bubble, while they benefit from their technology and see how the market rewards them for spending less. In Xataka | What have Apple and Google agreed on for the new Siri? Nobody knows because Google doesn’t even want to mention it. Image | Photo of Adam Nir in Unsplashedited

We already know how ads work on ChatGPT. If you don’t like them, go to checkout

by

He who warns is not a traitor. From December 2026 ChatGPT hidden code showed the imminent arrival of advertising. It’s something that has just become a reality. OpenAI recently published that it is already testing ads in the United States, something that will affect all users of the free version and some of the paid version. Announcements come to ChatGPT. USA firstbut no one will be free of them. The ads have officially arrived for the free version of ChatGPT and the Go plan. Taking into account that the cost of Go is 8 euros per month, the debate is revived as to whether a paid app is legal or not to have advertising load. Users of the Plus and Pro plans are saved from ads. At the moment, they are in the testing phase, hoping that they will reach the rest of the world in the coming months. Because. Because OpenAI needs moneyit’s that simple. The company’s accounts are not working out, and it stands out in its press release that in order for ChatGPT to continue improving and offering free features, it is necessary to start showing ads. If you want to use ChatGPT for free without any type of advertisement, it will be possible, in exchange for limiting the number of free daily messages. How ads influence responses. They don’t, according to OpenAI. The responses will continue to be oriented to the user’s demands and the training we have done on the model. Ads will always be labeled as sponsored content, and visually separated from the GPT response itself. If you’re wondering how the ads you’ll see will be selected, according to OpenAI they will match ads sent by companies to conversation topics. If you’re searching for a recipe, you may be shown food-related ads. About privacy. Advertisers will not have access to our chats, history or personal data. They will only receive information about the performance of their ads. Products from sensitive categories related to politics or health may also not be advertised. Likewise, from the app’s own settings, we can configure whether we want to personalize the ads (whether our history and chats are used to improve the suggestions or not). The party is over. Advertisements on ChatGPT were simply unavoidable. The key now is whether OpenAI, faced with Antrophic’s explicit refusal to introduce advertising in Claude and a Google that can afford not to depend on it, will be able to integrate ads without degrading the product or breaking the perception of neutrality. Image | OpenAI In Xataka | ChatGPT pretends to know everything even when it has no idea. Stanford University believes it has the solution

The great battle of the internet of the future is fought against anonymity. And Discord has taken a step requiring ID to enter

by

Discord announced yesterday that will launch an age verification system on its platform globally starting next month. This will be when you default to setting all accounts as “appropriate for teens” (“teen-appropriate“) unless the user proves that they are an adult with a partially automatic process that may require the system to scan our face or our identification document. This has reopened the debate about privacy and privacy not only on social networks, but throughout the internet. How it will work. Savannah Badalich, Product Manager at Discord, explained in The Verge that “Discord does not use private messages or any message content in the age verification process”, and clarifies that in many cases this verification will be transparent and the user will not have to do anything: “For most adults, age verification will not be necessary, as Discord’s age inference model uses account information such as account age, device and activity data, and aggregated high-level patterns in Discord communities. But if you need to verify yourself, be careful. Those users who do not obtain this automatic verification will not be able to access channels and servers that have age restrictions, will not be able to participate by speaking on live channels and will have sensitive or graphic content filters activated. They will also receive notifications of friend requests from suspicious users, and even direct messages from unknown users will be automatically filtered to a separate mailbox. The protection that Discord proposes is analogous to that already proposed by the Government of Spain with the beta Digital Wallet, popularly known as the “pajaporte”. Your face or your ID to validate your age. If Discord’s inference model fails to automatically determine your age, the global rollout will require users to present identification to prove they are of legal age to have an adult account. According to Discord, removing those limitations from teen accounts will force users to “choose to use facial age estimation or offer a form of identification to Discord partners.” So, there will be two great options: your face– The user will need to appear in a selfie video during the verification process and a Discord AI system will analyze that image in real time. According to Discord, that selfie will not leave our device. Your ID– If the selfie process fails, users can appeal or verify their age with a photo of their ID. These documents will be verified by third parties, but on Discord they assure that these images of the document “are quickly deleted — in most cases immediately after confirmation of age.” Discord already had a scandal with this. This is actually not the first time Discord has tried something like this. Last year it already deployed an age verification system in the UK and Australiaand the curious thing is that some users exceeded that measure using the ‘Death Stranding’ photo mode. Mass data theft. In October one of those Discord partners suffered a massive data theft in which users’ age verification data, including the government identification documents of said users, were leaked. Badalich states that they stopped working with that company and now use another. “We do not do biometric scanning or facial recognition, but rather facial estimation. The DNI is deleted immediately. We do not store information about you,” said the directive. Anonymity in danger. For decades, anonymity has been considered an acquired right and a pillar of Internet freedom. It is something that allows exploration and criticism without fear of retaliation, but at the same time that has facilitated a toxic public discourse that has turned many platforms—starting with social networks—into “digital dumps” in which harassment and abuse are difficult to stop. Content moderation on social networks has been so problematic that X and Facebook have ended up eliminating their moderation teams—or reducing them to a minimum—so that let the community itself warn of misuse of these networks. Government pressure. Discord’s announcement follows an increasingly recurring trend on the internet. The pressure from governments around the world is notable and wants to eliminate anonymity with the argument of protecting teenagers. Bills are being promoted that force platforms to monitor who enters and how old they are. Eliminating anonymity would certainly have advantages in mitigating toxic speech and instances of harassment or abuse, but it would also have enormous disadvantages. From protecting minors to spying on us all. Among these disadvantages is the risk that these social networks become a massive system of citizen espionage in which the violation of privacy is real. By forcing users to go through these filters, massive databases can be created that are not only targets for cybercriminals, but also potential tools for state surveillance. Is the cure worse than the disease? This government battle against anonymity is justified as a fight against hate and abuse, but the collateral damage is extraordinary. We would lose that structural privacy that the Internet has always offered. If to prevent a stalker or scammer from acting we must identify each individual on the network, we end up turning the Internet into a gigantic registry in which freedom of expression is conditioned by government blessing. Total paradox. The most ironic thing is that Europe, which has traditionally been a defender of privacy, is now totally in favor of those age verification measures that precisely put her in danger. The old continent, which has always criticized Big Tech for aggregating personal data of European citizens, now supports measures that will precisely help build these gigantic databases. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. It has been more than a decade since we reflected on that typical phrase of those who did not seem to care that the NSA PRISM program I would have spied on them because they “had nothing to hide.” It’s easy to dismantle that theoryand it is a fallacy that Giving up privacy means greater security. Open debate. The Discord announcement has generated a huge debate in all types of networks, but we found a good … Read more

human poop in parks

by

The case I told it Marisa García, apothecary, has been on Instagram for some time now. One day he was walking through a park in Majadahonda when he lost sight of his dog. The scare did not last long. The dog reappeared after a few minutes, but it did so after having feasted on human feces. Up to this point the scene may be eschatological, but it is not of much interest either. If you have a dog you will know that it’s not strange that are interested in poop. The problem is that those specific feces contained traces of drugs, which is why the animal ended up in the vet. The problem is that it is not an isolated case. More than an eschatological anecdote. The video of García is from September 2024 but the poisoning of dogs that end up ‘high’ (and admitted to a veterinary clinic) after feasting on human poop is far from being a curiosity or problem of the past. Quite the opposite. It continues to happen (at least in the Community of Madrid) and with astonishing frequency. This has been revealed The Country in an article in which he cites several veterinary cases that corroborate that they are no longer surprised to encounter dogs that, due to their owners’ carelessness, have ingested poop… with some type of drug. A member of the Reina Cristina emergency center assures that they have attended to up to four emergencies in a week. Even in the film ‘Sirât’Oliver Laxe’s Oscar-nominated film, is winks to these types of cases. “I had already been warned”. García’s experience is illustrative. In September 2024 counted how he lost sight of his dog while walking through a park in Majadahonda (Madrid). When the animal appeared, it did so with surprise: “It had eaten someone’s feces.” The problem is that those human poops were ‘seasoned’ with something else. Whoever had left them there had consumed drugs, substances that left traces in their stools. “Dogs eat it and get intoxicated from marijuana, cocaine… In this case it also had traces of tricyclic antidepressantsfrom opiates… Maybe from someone who was taking some type of medication,” remember the apothecary. “Apart from vomiting and becoming very sad and ill, the dog’s back legs began to fail and he couldn’t walk. That alerted us and we took him to the vet.” García recognized that cases like the one she had experienced were relatively frequent because, whether due to lack of public bathrooms, urgency or simple habit, there are people who choose to relieve themselves in the parks… leaving their excrement and everything they contain, including traces of drugs or legal medications. “I had already been warned. This can happen to anyone. There are more and more dogs that become intoxicated by the drugs that humans consume,” Remember Garcia. “A plague”. How frequent is it? One of the veterinarians interviewed by The Country speaks directly of “plague.” The problem is by no means new, but cases such as that of García or that of Paula Valdeón, another Madrid native who had to take her dog (Balkis) to a clinic after she ate human feces during a night walk through Madrid Río, suggest that it has worsened. The reason? One possible explanation is the change in drug use. A european report of 2025 on the subject concludes that 13.3% of Spaniards between 15 and 64 years old have tried cocaine at least once in their lives. This is the highest figure in the EU, considerably above nations such as France and Denmark (9.4%) or the Netherlands (8%). Not all are negative indicators (cannabis use has collapsed among adolescents), but Health data show that the prevalence of the consumption of hypnosedatives, ecstasy, cocaine or hallucinogens is significantly higher today than in the 90s. Are there more factors? Yes. Several. The first explains why the report of The Country or García’s video point to the same region: Madrid. Beyond the greater or lesser consumption of drugs, the capital deals with a handicap: the high cost of nightlife, which forces groups to look for alternatives, such as meeting in public areas or organizing bottles. If to that is added the the small number of public toiletsthe story tells itself: feces within reach of the dogs, with everything they have ‘on board’, both medications and illegal drugs. Beyond Madrid. The problem of pet poisoning is not exclusive to the parks and gardens of Madrid. A year ago the Radio and Television of the Principality of Asturias warned that several dogs from Oviedo had gotten sick after eating human poop with traces of drugs. For the neighbors, the origin of the problem was clear: the drinking parties held in a park in the area. There are also animals that become intoxicated without setting foot on the street. In 2024 JAMA Network Open public a study by Orrin Ware and Renée Schmid that shows that episodes of this type are not strange within homes themselves. For their study, the researchers analyzed hundreds of calls made between 2019 and 2023 to the organization Pet Poison Helpline in which pet owners reported that their animals had become poisoned. The sample must be handled with some caution because it coincided with the pandemic, a period during which many people were forced to confine themselves and carry out their daily lives inside their homes, but their conclusions are interesting: they reveal a worrying (and growing) exposure of pets to drugs. Images | Courtney Mihaka (Unsplash) and Colin Davis (Unsplash) In Xataka | In 2001, a yacht took refuge on a remote island in the Atlantic. Days later its inhabitants breaded fish with coca

Log In

Forgot password?

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Add to Collection

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.