Author: Frank Salvato

A growing number of educators and researchers are warning that Generation Z’s declining handwriting abilities may carry broader consequences than simply producing less legible penmanship. As digital devices, keyboards, voice-to-text tools, and artificial intelligence become the primary means of communication, many young adults are writing by hand less frequently, raising concerns that the loss of handwriting proficiency could weaken memory, critical thinking, reading comprehension, and the ability to communicate clearly. While technology has delivered undeniable efficiencies, critics argue that abandoning handwriting altogether risks sacrificing an important cognitive and educational skill that has been fundamental to human communication for thousands of…

Taiwan Charges Nine in AI Server Smuggling Scheme Linked to China Taiwanese prosecutors have charged nine individuals, including current and former employees associated with Nvidia and Super Micro Computer, for allegedly participating in a scheme to illegally divert advanced AI servers equipped with high-end Nvidia processors to mainland China in violation of U.S. export controls. Prosecutors allege the defendants falsified documentation to secure approval for 130 AI servers by claiming the equipment would remain in Taiwan, when authorities say dozens were instead routed through third countries before reaching China. The case underscores the growing geopolitical importance of AI hardware and…

A new concept known as the “AI model harness” is rapidly emerging as one of the most important components of enterprise artificial intelligence. Rather than focusing exclusively on increasingly powerful AI models, businesses are beginning to recognize that the software layer surrounding those models—which provides memory, business context, security controls, workflow management, tool access, and model routing—may ultimately determine whether AI delivers measurable business value. Companies in regulated industries are increasingly weighing whether to build proprietary harnesses to retain control over sensitive workflows and reduce dependence on a single AI vendor, while others are choosing commercial solutions to accelerate deployment…

OpenAI’s leadership reshuffling continued with the departure of Chris Malone, the company’s head of data centers, marking another high-profile executive exit as the artificial intelligence firm prepares for an anticipated 2027 initial public offering. Malone, who joined OpenAI from Meta in 2025 to oversee its ambitious data center expansion following the Stargate initiative with SoftBank and Oracle, leaves after the company significantly altered its infrastructure strategy. Rather than constructing many of its own facilities, OpenAI has increasingly pursued long-term leases for dedicated data center capacity while investing hundreds of billions of dollars into computing infrastructure through the end of the…

As businesses race to integrate artificial intelligence into daily operations, a growing number of executives are encouraging employees to shift workplace conversations from private Slack direct messages into public company channels. The rationale is straightforward: AI agents perform better when they have access to broader organizational context, allowing them to summarize discussions, retrieve institutional knowledge, generate presentations, write code, and answer questions with greater accuracy. Companies embracing this model argue that making internal communications more accessible strengthens collaboration and preserves corporate knowledge. Critics, however, warn that the same practices could discourage candid conversations, reduce honest brainstorming, and further erode employee…

The artificial intelligence revolution, cloud computing, streaming services, financial networks, healthcare systems, and nearly every other component of the modern digital economy depend on an infrastructure most Americans rarely see: data centers. These facilities have become as necessary to the information economy as factories were to the industrial economy. Yet municipalities increasingly face a difficult question. How do they welcome the economic opportunities created by data centers without forcing existing residents and businesses to absorb the costs of the enormous amounts of electricity, land, water, and infrastructure they can require? The answer begins with recognizing that neither extreme is particularly…

A growing movement of Silicon Valley parents—many of them employed in the technology industry—is challenging the increasing reliance on digital devices, educational apps, YouTube, and artificial intelligence in K-12 classrooms. Centered in California’s Palo Alto Unified School District, parents argue that schools have become overly dependent on screens at the expense of reading, writing, attention spans, and critical thinking. Their campaign calls for expanded pen-and-paper instruction, stronger limits on classroom technology, and clearer policies governing AI use, reflecting a broader national debate over whether educational technology has outpaced evidence of its academic value. Key Takeaways In-Depth The latest dispute emerging…

A growing nationwide wave of card-skimming attacks is increasingly targeting Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) recipients, exploiting the continued reliance on magnetic-stripe technology used by many benefit cards. According to recent law enforcement investigations, sophisticated skimming devices can be installed on payment terminals in just seconds, capturing both card data and PINs before transmitting the information wirelessly to criminals. Federal authorities say organized crime groups are behind many of these operations, with investigations underway across numerous states. The findings have renewed calls to accelerate the transition to more secure chip-enabled EBT cards while encouraging recipients to remain vigilant by inspecting payment…

Eight months after Australia implemented the world’s first nationwide ban on social media access for users under 16, new data indicate that many teenagers have found ways back onto TikTok and other platforms. Research based on thousands of Australian families found TikTok usage among 13- to 15-year-olds has nearly returned to pre-ban levels, while use among children ages 10 to 12 has actually increased. The findings raise serious questions about whether government mandates alone can effectively restrict youth access to social media when age verification systems, VPNs, and inaccurate self-reported ages remain easy avenues for circumvention. At the same time,…

A legal showdown in Imperial County is testing whether California local governments can use emergency powers to temporarily halt major AI data center projects while they study their impacts. The dispute centers on a proposed 330-megawatt, nearly one-million-square-foot data center that would rank among the state’s largest. After public opposition mounted over concerns involving electricity demand, water consumption, pollution, and community impacts, county officials enacted an emergency moratorium on new data center approvals. The developer responded with a lawsuit, arguing the county failed to demonstrate the immediate public threat required under California law to justify bypassing the normal legislative process.…