California teens will be barred from “addictive” social media products and limited in their interactions with chatbots under two of the 13 bills signed into law Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom to protect kids online.
artificial intelligence
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Paystand branches into AI agents; court hearing for former Scotts Valley executive; Barilla snaps up Goodles
In this week’s survey of local business, Jessica M. Pasko reports on the rollout of a new AI tool for Santa Cruz-based fintech company Paystand, notes a court date for a former executive of Scotts Valley’s Ambient Photonics and runs down other numbers, names and dates to know.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
The data center backlash is here — and Big Tech is spending big to combat it
The public has turned against data centers, prompting a flood of legislation in California. Business interests are trying to blunt the backlash.
Posted inHousing & Development
Santa Cruz County housing market stalls, then rebounds as AI wealth boom looms
The Santa Cruz County housing market looked similar in July to what it has for most of the summer, despite sales temporarily dipping as prospective buyers leave for vacation and school gets back into session.
Posted inHealth & Wellness
As AI ‘therapists’ dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits
With the rise in popularity of chatbots and the use of artificial intelligence in mental healthcare, California lawmakers are pushing legislation that they say is needed to protect consumers.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
The City of Santa Cruz drew the line on facial recognition and Flock cameras. AI is testing us again.
The City of Santa Cruz led the nation in 2020 by restricting facial recognition technology, yet new artificial intelligence tools are quietly expanding the reach of surveillance, writes civil libertarian Steve Pleich. Before these systems become commonplace, he believes local cities and the county board of supervisors should establish clear rules that continue to protect both public safety and civil liberties. He insists privacy should not disappear simply because technology evolves.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
AI data centers might just save rooftop solar — and your electric bill
Artificial intelligence data centers are poised to transform California’s electric grid — but they might also rescue rooftop solar from years of political backlash, say clean-energy advocates Angela Lipanovich, an attorney, and Jenny Folkesson, a computer scientist. They argue that the AI boom exposes flaws in the “solar cost shift” debate and presents a chance to lower electricity costs by pairing data-center investment with distributed solar and battery storage. They say the result could mean more affordable power for Santa Cruz County ratepayers — and a surprising new future for rooftop solar.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: Using AI instead of people is terrible and will deplete Social Security
In a letter to the editor, a Santa Cruz resident points out that using AI for customer service cuts humans out of the process and means less payroll tax into the U.S. Social Security system.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
How buying a washing machine became an AI comedy: Why the AI customer service revolution is a failure
“We are repeatedly told that artificial intelligence will provide faster, more personalized and more efficient service, Stanford scholar Robert M. Kaplan writes after a series of chatbot misadventures. “Yet consumer frustration with AI interfaces has become commonplace, and many problems remain unresolved. “
Posted inBusiness & Technology
AI is helping gas stations collude to raise California fuel prices, lawsuit says
Software powered by artificial intelligence has allowed gas station operators across California to illegally collude and drive up prices at the pump, according to a federal lawsuit.
