Latest news with #RM84
The Star
10 hours ago
- The Star
Opinion: Wanna help save the planet? Stop asking AI dumb questions
It takes huge amounts of energy to power artificial intelligence – so much energy that it's looking less and less likely that the US will meet its goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (If we still have any such goals under President Donald Trump.) What's less known is that AI also consumes copious amounts of water needed to cool all that IT equipment. To generate a 100-word email, a chatbot using GPT-4 requires 519 millilitres of water – roughly equivalent to an 18-ounce bottle of water. That doesn't sound like much, but when you multiply that by the number of users, it's significant. Also, it requires far more than 100 words for AI to respond to our most pressing questions, such as: – What are three excuses for skipping dinner at my (fill in the blank's) house tonight? – Can you rewrite this email to make me sound smarter? – How do you make a mojito? – Does this outfit look good on me? If you are wondering about that last query, yes, there are folks who rely on ChatGPT for wardrobe advice. Some check in with Chat on a daily basis by uploading a photo of themselves before they leave the house, just to make sure they look presentable. These superusers often spring for a US$20-per-month (RM84) subscription to ChatGPT Plus, which provides priority access, among other perks. Chat can also help you write a dating profile, plan a trip to Mexico City, manage your finances, give you relationship advice, tell you what shampoo to use and what color to paint your living room. Another plus: ChatGPT never talks down to you. Even the most outlandish queries get a polite, ego-boosting response like this: 'That's a thoughtful and important question. Here's a grounded response.' Google vs ChatGPT But again, it's hard to get around the fact that AI is hard on the planet. Example: The New York Times reports that Amazon is building an enormous AI data centre in Indiana that will use 2.2 gigawatts of electricity, which is enough to power a million homes. And according to a report from Goldman Sachs, 'a ChatGPT query needs nearly 10 times as much electricity to process as a Google search.' So we could save energy by opting for Google search, except Google is getting in to the AI business, too. Have you noticed those 'AI overviews' at the top of search results? Those come at an environmental cost. 'Embedding generative AI in such a widely used application is likely to deepen the tech sector's hunger for fossil fuels and water,' writes Scientific American staffer Allison Parshall. The good news is there is a way to block those pesky AI overviews; YouTube has tutorials like this one that will walk you through it. In further good news, there are smart people looking for ways to make AI more environmentally friendly, but that could take a while. in the meantime, should we conserve water and energy by letting AI focus on important tasks like diagnosing breast cancer, predicting floods and tracking icebergs? Maybe stop running to ChatGPT every time we have a personal problem? Should I feel guilty, for example, if I ask Chat how to stop my cats from scratching the couch? Not according to Chat. 'No, guilt isn't productive unless it's leading you to positive action,' Chat told me. 'Instead, awareness is more productive.' But if you do worry about the planet, Chat recommends using AI 'with purpose' rather than as entertainment. No need to swear it off entirely. 'The focus should be on conscious consumption rather than abstinence,' Chat says. Lower 'brain engagement' That sounds reasonable, except a recent MIT study offers evidence that the longer we use AI, the less conscious we become. Using an EEG to measure brain activity of 54 subjects, researchers found that those who used ChatGPT to write SAT essays had lower 'brain engagement' than two other groups – one was allowed to use Google search and the other relied solely on brain power to complete the essays. 'Over the course of several months, ChatGPT users got lazier with each subsequent essay, often resorting to copy-and-paste by the end of the study,' Time magazine reported. Granted, this is only one small study. But to be on the safe side, I'm going to lay off Chat for a while. Maybe I'll hit Google with that cat question. There is, however, one thing Google can't tell me: Does that dress I ordered online look OK on me or should I send it back? Tell me what you think, Chat. And please, be brutally honest. – The Sacramento Bee/Tribune News Service
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Iskandar Puteri police dispose of case items worth RM281,350
ISKANDAR PUTERI: Iskandar Puteri district police headquarters (IPD) today disposed of various exhibits for cases spanning from 2017 to May this year, with a total value of RM281,350. Its chief, ACP M. Kumarasan said the case items were linked to 567 investigation papers that had been completed and received disposal orders from the court. He said of the total, 319 investigation papers were related to gambling, amounting to RM94,380.00, which made up the highest-value items disposed of. 'Next were general goods (226 investigation papers) with a total value of RM31,028.00; contraband (15 investigation papers) amounting to RM71,242.00, comprising various types of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages; and lastly, seven investigation papers related to bitcoin mining, with exhibits worth RM84,700.00,' he said in a press conference at the Iskandar Puteri IPD today. Also present at the event were Iskandar Puteri deputy police chief Superintendent Mohd Azlan Abdul Kadir, and Johor deputy public prosecutors Muhammad Nursyafiq Abd Halim and Sarah Siti Aisyah Mustapha Kamal. Kumarasan added that the disposal was part of continuous efforts by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to ensure proper and systematic management of case items according to procedures. He also reminded the public not to get involved in any criminal activities such as illegal gambling, smuggling of untaxed goods, and electricity theft for bitcoin mining, as these are serious offences under the law.
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
MMEA seizes 178 foreign fishing vessels over past three years
KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has seized a total of 178 foreign fishing vessels over the past three years, with 109 of them already disposed of. MMEA director-general Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah said Vietnamese vessels accounted for the highest number of seizures, with 84 boats, followed by Indonesia (61), Thailand (30) and China (three). He said the 109 vessels that were disposed of had a combined estimated value of RM1.83 million. "Vietnamese vessels made up the majority of those disposed of, totalling 97, followed by 11 from Indonesia and one from Thailand. "From 2023 to 2025, the MMEA recorded proceeds from auction sales amounting to RM3,752,330.50, while compounds and fines totalled RM84,141,077.80," he said.
The Star
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Tesla's head of Optimus humanoid robot programme exits company
Milan Kovac, the head of engineering for Optimus, informed colleagues on Friday that he is departing effective immediately, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. —/AFP The leader of Tesla Inc.'s Optimus program is leaving the company, according to a person familiar with the matter, injecting uncertainty into the humanoid robot effort that Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk sees as a significant part of its future business. Milan Kovac, the head of engineering for Optimus, informed colleagues on Friday that he is departing effective immediately, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. Ashok Elluswamy, who leads Tesla's Autopilot teams, will take over responsibility for Optimus, the person said. Kovac, Elluswamy and Musk didn't respond to requests for comment. Kovac subsequently confirmed his departure on X, calling it "the most difficult decision' of his life and citing a desire to spend more time with family. "My support for @elonmusk and the team is ironclad,' he said in the tweet. "I've got entire faith in them pushing Optimus to the next level, together with the broader Tesla AI/engineering & production teams. My departure now will not change a thing.' Musk praised Kovac and Elluswamy in a June 2 social media post as two "key people' in the company's artificial intelligence operations who "have been there from the beginning.' Musk is increasingly betting Tesla's future on robotics, along with artificial intelligence and driverless cars, as the traditional electric-vehicle business faces challenges. The automaker's sales have cratered in key markets due to lukewarm demand and a consumer backlash over the CEO's political activity. This week, Musk's relationship with President Donald Trump erupted into a public feud, raising further risks for Tesla on the regulatory front. Tesla drew attention in October when it used Optimus prototypes to tend bar and interact with guests at a flashy event in the Los Angeles area to generate investor enthusiasm for upcoming products. Bloomberg reported afterward that humans were used to remotely control some capabilities of the robots. Musk has said Optimus, which would handle many household tasks, could be "the biggest product ever of any kind.' The robots could eventually be available to consumers for US$20,000 (RM84,719) to US$30,000 (RM127,079) each, Musk has said. The robot's capabilities have long been closely watched by investors, even if the product's launch timing remains uncertain. Observers noted in 2022 when an early prototype had to be carried by people on stage. Brett Winton, chief futurist of Ark Investment Management, a sizeable investor in Tesla, said the firm doesn't factor Optimus directly into its five-year model for the company currently. It does monitor the robot's developments and the rapid acceleration of the sector and its potential market impact. "Elon Musk is not an easy person to work for, I think we can all say that with some assurance, and it's because he drives people hard,' Winton said in an interview on Bloomberg Television on Friday after Bloomberg published the report of Kovac's departure. "He is not satisfied by 'Oh, we'll get this done six months from now. He wants it done within the next 24 hours, and that drives his team into a maniacal sense of urgency, which is what you need when you are trying to make a dent,' Winton added. On the most recent Tesla earnings call, Musk said he expects to have thousands of Optimus robots working in Tesla's own facilities by the end of this year. He also predicted Tesla will be able to build millions of units per year by the end of the decade. – Bloomberg
![[Watch] Malaysian Influencer MSPUIYI Reveals Her USD45,000 Annual Skincare Investment](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.therakyatpost.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F05%2FUntitled1-13.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Watch] Malaysian Influencer MSPUIYI Reveals Her USD45,000 Annual Skincare Investment](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ftherakyatpost.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Rakyat Post
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Rakyat Post
[Watch] Malaysian Influencer MSPUIYI Reveals Her USD45,000 Annual Skincare Investment
Subscribe to our FREE At just 26, Malaysian social media sensation MSPUIYI has lifted the curtain on her meticulous beauty regimen, revealing she spends a whopping USD45,000 (RM190,575) annually on skincare – all without going under the knife. In a candid revelation that's both fascinating and eye-opening, the influencer, whose real name is Siew Pui Yi, shared how she's maintained her youthful appearance through a combination of preventive care and regular treatments since her early twenties. Her monthly routine reads like a luxury spa menu: regular whitening injections, bi-monthly facial treatments, and yearly laser lifting procedures combined with collagen injections to maintain her signature cherubic cheeks. The breakdown of her annual beauty budget is equally impressive: USD20,000 (RM84,600) on facial treatments, USD12,000 (RM50,760) on medical aesthetics, and USD13,000 (RM54,990) on stem cell therapy – all self-funded, without sponsorships until recently. Inside the Six-Figure Beauty Regime That Keeps Her Looking 23 The investment appears to be paying off. Recent skin assessments suggest her skin age hovers around 23, despite her chronological age of 26. 'There's many advertisements or marketing on achieving the perfect camera-ready face – in long hours but it really takes a lot of work and dedication. I'm just a more detailed informant,' she shares, pulling back the curtain on the effort behind her flawless appearance. It's a testament to the old adage that beauty requires dedication, though perhaps not everyone's version comes with such a hefty price tag. Her transparency offers a rare glimpse into the real cost of maintaining a public image in the digital age, where one's face is quite literally one's fortune. For MSPUIYI, who has built her career on her image, it's simply the cost of doing business. From DJ Decks to Beauty Empire Beyond the filtered world of Instagram, where MSPUIYI commands an audience of 25 million followers, lies a multi-faceted entrepreneur who's turned her digital influence into an empire. By day, she's the force behind beauty brands Kiseki Skincare and MSPUIYI Cosmetics; by night, she takes to the decks as a DJ, adding her own beat to Malaysia's vibrant nightlife scene. The social media star, whose hourglass figure has become as famous as her business acumen, isn't just about surface appeal. Her involvement in the She partnered with READ MORE : READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
