News

Study shows facial recognition misfires with dark-skinned people

It’s most accurate with white men

Published

February 12, 2018

Luigi Leonardo

Artificial intelligence is only still emerging, but pundits are already decrying how it will soon outsmart mankind. Amid these warnings, AI has yet to overcome a very human prejudice — skin bias.

Recent studies show that AI-powered facial recognition works more accurately with certain skin tones and genders compared to others. MIT researchers Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru recently conducted experiments that tested the accuracy of modern facial recognition.

The experiment compiled 1,270 different facial images from three African countries and three Northern European countries. The difference creates an equal parity between dark-skinned and light-skinned individuals. The test used AI tech from Microsoft and IBM.

The results showed that facial recognition worked better with lighter skin tones rather than darker ones: 11.8 percent error rate for lighter skins versus 19.2 percent for darker skins (the lower the percentage, the better). Further, it shows that the tech performed better with males than females: 8.1 percent for males versus 20.6 percent for females.

As you might expect, males with light skin tones fared way better than females with dark skin tones: 0.3 percent versus a whopping 34.7 percent.

Despite the rigor of their study, the researchers quickly pointed out that there were some AI developers (like Google) who did not want to be included.

Also, they add that accuracy might depend on where the tech was developed. For example, AI recognition developed in Asia might recognize Asian faces more accurately than Caucasian ones.

One study isn’t enough to put down the entire AI industry. The tech is still constantly improving itself. Soon, developers will likely bring error rates down to zero.

However, its current inaccurate state is a warning for those who use AI facial recognition for security and law enforcement.

Right now, facial recognition is most prevalent just in selfie cameras. However, some companies are already adopting the tech to bolster their security by scanning the faces of bad guys. If the current trends continue, your badly shot selfie might incriminate you for a crime you didn’t commit.

News

Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for $15 million

Samsung allegedly used her image without her consent.

Published

May 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Samsung has an unlikely rival. Dua Lipa is suing the South Korean company for using her image without her permission.

In the marketing world, brand endorsers are part and parcel of how products are pushed to the market. Famous celebrities are often asked to advertise a product for their potential star power. That said, a company needs the endorser’s consent first.

According to a new suit (via Variety), pop star Dua Lipa is suing Samsung for using her image to endorse TVs without her consent. The South Korean brand is reportedly using Lipa’s photo on the packaging of its TVs. Lipa alleges that the photo’s usage implies that she endorses the TV, which she does not.

The complaint also alleges that Lipa asked Samsung to take down the image last year. However, Samsung’s reply was, to her, “dismissive and callous.” The brand has then continued to use the image in its packaging.

To prove her point, the suit includes anecdotes of Samsung customers who bought the TV specifically because the packaging has Lipa’s image on it. To pay for damages, Lipa is asking for US$ 15 million from the global brand for copyright infringement.

Gaming

The Switch 2 is getting more expensive this year

The price increases will start this month.

Published

May 11, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Gone are the days when consoles get cheaper as time goes by. These days, especially because of the RAM crisis, gaming consoles are getting more expensive. Joining this worrying trend, the Nintendo Switch 2 is getting a price hike.

Even upon launch, the Switch 2 was already pricier than its original counterpart. Currently, without the incoming price hikes, the console retails for US$ 449.99. It’s a lot but not completely out of reach.

Last week, Nintendo announced a price hike that might push the console to less than attainable levels. Starting May 25, the Switch 2 will cost JPY 59,980 (up from JPY 49,980) in Japan. The original generation is also getting a hike: JPY 47,980 for the Switch OLED, JPY 43,980 for the base Switch, and JPY 29,980 for the Switch Lite.

Abroad, you can expect price hikes on September 1. The Switch 2 will jump to US$ 499.99, CAN 679.99, or EUR 499.99, depending on where you live. These are the only official hikes announced right now, but Nintendo has confirmed that price revisions will be implemented in other regions, too.

As you might expect, the price increases are due to the ongoing RAM crisis. Though the console is an undeniable hit, the Switch 2 can’t hide behind its popularity against the price shortage dealt by unnecessary data centers. At the very least, users worldwide have time to grab the console in its original pricing before the hikes.

Gaming

Call of Duty drops the PlayStation 4 starting with its next game

Is this the beginning of the end for the PlayStation 4?

Published

May 8, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

When can we declare that a console is officially dead? Is it as soon as the launch of the next generation? Is it when games no longer come out on the console? Recently, Call of Duty has confirmed that the next game will not be available anymore on the PlayStation 4, which presents an important question: Is the PlayStation 4 officially dead?

Call of Duty is one of the most persistent gaming franchises today. The last entry, Black Ops 7, is still available for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Both consoles were launched over twelve years ago. (If that doesn’t make you old, the current generation was launched almost six years ago.)

As such, the franchise is one of the last stalwarts keeping the past generation alive. This week, Call of Duty, via a post on X, confirmed that the next game will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. Presumably, this also means the Xbox One.

Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) May 4, 2026

Currently, we don’t have details about the upcoming game yet. But a new entry is confirmed to arrive later this year.

With the departure of the Call of Duty franchise, it’s fair to ask what will become of the old generation moving forward. Over the years, developers have started shying away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Since the franchise still maintains a steady fan base today, a lot of PlayStation 4 users might be forced to make an upgrade to play the latest entry.