Netflix revenue grows 16%, surpassing market expectations
This significant financial growth, including a 16% year-on-year income jump, is attributed to an increase in global subscribers, higher subscription prices, and rising advertising revenue.
Social media reactions to Netflix's performance were mixed, with some users crediting the password sharing crackdown for success, while others criticized a perceived decline in content quality.
Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos confirmed that the Argentinian sci-fi series The Eternaut was the first show on the platform to utilize artificial intelligence for a visual effect.
Sarandos championed AI as an opportunity to enhance creative output and speed up production, stating that the AI-generated visual effect was completed ten times faster than traditional methods.
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Daily Mail
4 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Fury grows as Hertz slaps $935 fee on Navy Sailor for tiny dent... as Orwellian X-ray scandal spirals
In April, Nadia, a US Navy Sailor, rented a car from Hertz to visit her mother. After nine days, she returned the vehicle to Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. Before handing over the keys, she drove through an AI scanner at Hertz's request. Hours later, she received a message from Hertz and its new AI partner, UVeye, demanding $935: $500 for damage, and $435 in fees. The system had flagged two small dents on the passenger side. 'I know for a fact I didn't cause any of the damages,' she told 'I was primarily at my mother's house with the car parked.' Nadia's experience reflects a pattern emerging among Hertz customers. has spoken to scores of drivers who say the scanners are flagging dents, scrapes, and rim scuffs they don't recognize — and charging them with fees between $130 and $935 that are hard to refute. In April, Hertz announced its partnership with UVeye, an AI-equipped vehicle scanning company. The technology is already in use at five locations, with plans to expand in major airport-based rental spots by the end of the year. Hertz says the system improves driver safety, standardizes assessments, and catches hard-to-spot damage like undercarriage wear and tire scuffs. Independent experts said the AI scanners and the customer-facing problems they're creating are raising broader questions about automation — and what rights renters have when disputing a fee. Hertz initially told that these scanners were solely safety-focused. After customers started to complain, the company changed its tune: a spokesperson said 'fees are based on the actual losses and expenses we incur as a result of vehicle damage.' When pressed the company about its own policies, Hertz representatives have either ignored questions entirely or claimed not to understand them. Since July 2, has asked Hertz representatives five separate times to clarify whether damage charges fund actual repairs or compensate for diminished vehicle value. Hertz has still not answered this question after multiple follow-ups. When asked about company policies, Hertz representatives insisted on the publication of 'before photos' from customers rather than addressing questions about charging transparency. And as the scanners and their fees continue, more drivers are speaking out. Nadia, a US Navy Sailor, shared this damage charge with Hertz is operating at least five scanners across the US and it has plans to launch the tech in other major airports A customer who rented from Newark Liberty International Airport shared an email thread with after receiving a $416.95 bill for 'cosmetic damage to the tire rim' from the scanner — damage he says he never noticed. 'We paid the amount only because the online claims page presented legal threats and offered no way to speak with a real person,' the driver wrote to a Hertz representative. He asked for photo documentation to share with his credit card company. The human-led damage team replied that they 'do not have access' to those files. Hertz tells that it is integrating live agents into the UVeye applications to better assist customers with similar issues. Another renter said he was charged $130 for a tiny dent on a Kia K4 sedan — even though his three-day rental only cost $116 with an AAA discount. Other drivers claimed they were charged $130 for a dent 'the size of a fingernail,' and $195 for 'a very dubious and minor ding.' The new stories mirror accusations made by at least four other drivers in the past month. In early July, Adam Foley spoke exclusively to after he received a request for $285 after driving his rented Buick through the scanners. Adam Foley received a notification to 'save big!' if he paid the fine immediately - when he tried to refute the charge, he was only given an option to speak to an AI agent Like every case has reviewed, Hertz offered Foley a discount if he paid the fine immediately — and directed his dispute to an AI chatbot. 'It's a shakedown that is extremely off-putting,' Foley said. 'I used to view Hertz as one of the higher tier rental companies and my default, ideal choice.' While Hertz says live agents will soon come into the app, independent experts have warned that the lack of human agents is concerning. 'It is unacceptable that a resolution with a human is not possible,' said Dr Ramnath Chellappa, a digital market expert and professor at Emory University. 'If anything, AI should be reducing the human effort in assessment and walk-through with the vehicle; therefore, it should end up offering cost savings.' Collision experts aren't even sure the scanner identified definitive damage. 'There appears to be a very minor dent visible only under enhanced lighting and reflection distortion,' Alex Black, the chief marketing officer of EpicVIN, a vehicle history report company, said after analyzing pictures Foley shared. 'It's plausible that the second fine is a reflection or a smudge, not an actual dent.' Another Hertz renter said they received a $130 charge for this dent - their three-day rental period only cost $116 Black said he would have quoted $100 to $150 for the fix, not the $285 that Hertz had charged Foley. Every customer who spoke to about receiving a charge has said they will no longer use Hertz. The new claims also mirror accusations made to other major publications. On July 9, The New York Times interviewed a customer who was charged $195 for a small dent underneath a door handle, according to the article. 'It could have been a shadow,' Kelly Rogers, who rented the car with her husband, told the Times. 'We were pulling it up on the app, and we're like, "This is so bananas."' Another driver, identified as Patrick, told The Drive he got a $440 damage fee for a tire rash, a common scrape when motorists accidentally hit the curb when parking. Several people have also taken to Reddit to complain about the charges, including a driver who rented a Toyota Corolla, and claims they got a $190 fee for a small dent. asked UVeye about the company's involvement in assessing damage.
The Guardian
6 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Has Elon Musk built a Nazi chatbot?
In 2023 Elon Musk launched Grok, an AI chatbot marketed as providing 'unfiltered answers' on X. In part, it was reportedly created to counter other machines that Musk saw as being trained to be 'politically correct'. Fast forward to 2025 and Grok is no stranger to controversy – sharing antisemitic content and white genocide conspiracy theories, and referring to itself as MechaHitler. One X user, Will Stancil, has even been the subject of extreme, violent, and individually tailored assault fantasies created by Grok, as he tells Nosheen Iqbal. 'It's alarming and you don't feel completely safe when you see this sort of thing,' he says. The tech reporter Chris Stokel-Walker explains how Grok is a large language model (LLM) that has been trained on content created by X users, and how despite the numerous controversies and apologies on the part of parent company xAI, it has recently acquired a new contract with the US Department of Defense. He also discusses the difficulties in regulating Grok, especially when some politicians feel comfortable with the content it generates. Support the Guardian today:
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Sex and The City hunk Gilles Marini claims ‘it's time' for And Just Like That ‘to go' as fans slam ‘insufferable' show
SEX and The City star Gilles Marini agrees with fans that the reboot 'And Just Like That...' has had its time in the sun, and the writers should "shatter the storyline" and create something new. The French actor appeared in the first movie based on the hit HBO show in 2008 as a love interest for Kim Cattrall's character, Samantha. 5 5 His iconic naked shower scene - that involved hours of filming - launched his acting career and later resulted in a stint on Dancing With the Stars. And although he's entirely grateful for the show, he feels the writers need to go in a new direction after 'And Just Like That...' was slammed as "insufferable" by die-hard fans. In an exclusive chat with The U.S. Sun, he said, "Everything takes its time. It goes up, and then it goes down [in popularity]. We have to know and understand when it's time to go." He feels viewers would still love to see more of the iconic characters, but a different spin-off may work instead of continuing to focus on Carrie Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. "Maybe taking the side of one of the characters and having this history behind of Sex and The City," he said. "But making something so clearly different.. somebody else come in with something new, you know? Really fresh, like the storyline has to be completely shattered. "And something that is meaningful nowadays. Everybody loved this show because everybody could relate. Let's have a show where really everyone can relate a little bit [more]." He said he was aware of the criticism surrounding the show but would also love to hear from those who have watched And Just Like That but never seen the original series. 5 Some TV critics have complained that the show's characters are now unlikeable and the show has become "unbearable to watch," while viewers have joked that the latest season was "written by AI". And Just Like That premiered in December 2021 and focuses on Carrie and friends Miranda Hobbes and Charlotte York as they navigate life in their 50s in New York City. Fans were stunned to learn of the death of her husband, Big [played by Chris Noth], and actress Kim has only appeared in a cameo after bowing out of returning as a full-time cast member. The third season has seen Carrie struggle to work out her relationship with ex-fiance Aidan Shaw, who is dealing with family drama in Virginia. Despite its critics, Marini says he has loved seeing the main characters back on screen and would not turn down the opportunity to appear in the future. He said, "If I got the call… I'd run to it. Absolutely. I think one of the most amazing things that I had the chance to do in my life was Sex And The City." Asked about Kim's decision not to reprise her role, he added, "To each their own. Sometimes people want to start something, and then when they're done, they're done with it. "At the end of it, look at the career she has, I mean, everything she's done. She doesn't need [anything]. It's her decision, of course." He told The U.S. Sun had never seen the show before he was cast and had no idea at the time of the impact it had. Marini recalled, "Michael Patrick King, the director of the film, he said, 'Listen, when the movie comes out, your life will never be the same and your phone will never stop ringing'. And I'm like, why? Why is he saying that? And now I know why he said that. I had never watched the show before, and I think that was key in me getting the part." Actor Gilles Marini "At the end of the day he [Marini's character] was not just a guy. What was very interesting is when I developed that character in my mind, it was important for me for [women] to understand that this man is just not like .. he's gonna have sex with you. "No matter what, the moment spent with him will be unforgettable. "He loves what he does. He loves to be with women. And he's the near image in a way of Kim Cattrall's character a couple of years prior. "I needed to play him so that you're not ever threatened. [He's] just a guy that loves to make love. "I've never watched it back, but everybody sends me the scenes every day because ... guys and girls, whatever flavor, send me it, 'Oh look, it's in Korean, it's in Russian, it's in Spanish'. "Every time I hear myself in a different language, I can't resist. I have to post it. "I had never watched the show before, and I think that was key in me getting the part. "But it's an educational show for men. If you're a man and you watch Sex and The City, you understand a lot more the psyche of women. And you get along with them a lot better." Years on from the scene that set pulses racing, Marini has managed to keep his physique in top-tip shape, but said taking care of his health is important, it's not about being a pin-up. "I keep myself in shape because I like to be more of an inspiration than someone that's given up on [themselves]," he said. "I'm about to be 50 years old." Marini is still getting plenty of roles and is also working on a movie, telling The U.S. Sun he's happy to be back in action after the pandemic saw productions in Hollywood grind to a halt. "I'm very excited about the kind of reverse of Hollywood. It has to happen, he said. "Because it's been like really insane for a lot of people, including myself, since the pandemic. "Hollywood should be seen as the leader of everything [in movies]. The last time I shot something here was at Warner Bros. "And you could tell that it was not immensely busy. And that was not even a year ago. I want to work. I must export myself elsewhere. "I just shot a film with a beautiful Kym Johnson, one of the all-time leaders of everything in Dancing With the Stars, that I adore. "She's amazing. And she wanted to do a beautiful film, with dancing and Christmas and love. Christmas in a ballroom. We cannot wait. "It's was very sweet. It was cool. It was difficult for me because I went back to kind of dancing. [Bu] it went more than well. She's just phenomenal. I can't wait to see her again."
