LinkedIn has suspended the use of UK user data to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models after a regulator raised concerns.

The career-focused social networking site, owned by Microsoft, quietly saw users around the world opted into their data being used to train its AI models.

But the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said on Friday that it was “pleased” LinkedIn had confirmed that it had paused on using UK users’ information.

LinkedIn said it welcomes the chance to engage with the ICO further.

“We are pleased that LinkedIn has reflected on the concerns we raised about its approach to training generative AI models with information relating to its UK users,” said the ICO’s executive director, Stephen Almond.

Many big tech firms, including LinkedIn, are looking to user-generated content on their platforms as a fresh source of data for training AI tools.

“Generative” AI tools, such as chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or image generators like Midjourney, learn from huge volumes of text and image data.

But a LinkedIn spokesperson told BBC News that the company believes users should have control over their data.

As such, it has given UK users a way to opt out of having their data used to train its AI models.

“We’ve always used some form of automation in LinkedIn products, and we’ve always been clear that users have the choice about how their data is used,” they added.

Social platforms where users post about their lives, or jobs, can provide rich material to help tools sound more natural.

“The reality of where we’re at today is a lot of people are looking for help to get that first draft of that resume… to help craft messages to recruiters to get that next career opportunity,” LinkedIn’s spokesperson said.

“At the end of the day, people want that edge in their careers and what our gen-AI services do is help give them that assist.”

The company says in its global privacy policy that user data will be used to help develop its AI services, and in a help article it states that it will also be processed when users interact with tools that offer post writing suggestions, for example.

This will now not apply to users in the UK, alongside those in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area and Switzerland.

Meta and X (formerly known as Twitter) are among platforms that, like LinkedIn, want to use content posted on their platforms to help develop their generative AI tools.

But they have faced regulatory hurdles in the UK and EU, with strict privacy rules placing limits on how and when personal data can be collected.

Meta halted its plans to use UK adults’ public posts, comments and images to train its AI tools in June following criticism, and concerns raised by the ICO.

The company recently began re-notifying UK users of Facebook and Instagram about its plans and clarified its process for opting-out after engaging with the data watchdog.

LinkedIn will now likely face a similar process before it can resume plans to train its tools with UK users’ data.

“In order to get the most out of generative AI and the opportunities it brings, it is crucial that the public can trust that their privacy rights will be respected from the outset,” said the ICO’s Mr Almond.

He said the regulator would “continue to monitor” developers such as Microsoft and LinkedIn to ensure they are protecting UK users’ data rights.

OpenAI has announced a new AI model, esoterically dubbed o1, that it describes as even more capable than anything that has come before – and even more dangerous. But before you start worrying about the machine apocalypse, it is worth thinking about what purpose such warnings serve.

While previous models such as GPT-4 were considered “low” risk for public release, according to OpenAI’s in-house framework, its new o1 model is the first to qualify as “medium” risk on half the criteria. OpenAI bases…

Apple has officially launched the iPhone 16, and now you can begin to make your iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max orders. Here we’re focusing specifically on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, which are housed separately in the Apple store, but we’ve also covered iPhone 16 and iPhone Plus deals. We’re going to look at how to get the best deal via Apple or other retailers’ offers. The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max officially released starting on September 20.

We found that getting the best deal from the Apple store was not entirely straightforward. Follow along with our guide for your best price.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max — Apple deal guide

At the top of you’ll see the basics on order deals all in one spot. At the top of the page (in the red rectangle in the image above) you’ll see a brief overview of all of the current offers. It’s worth noting, though, that there is some fine print and navigating through the store page isn’t a perfect experience. To see what we mean, tap the button below and follow along with our iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max ordering guide, where we’ll show you exactly what to click to get the lowest price.

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max carrier deals — AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile

Getting and understanding the available carrier deals from Apple’s store is the trick to getting the best preorder deal on the phones. Unfortunately, the numbers and steps to get there are somewhat confusing. By the end of this section, however, you’ll know how to get an iPhone 16 Pro for as low as $0.00/month from your favorite carrier and get the best Apple Store deal on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

We’ll start by entering a phone into “Apple Trade In.” but ignore the price — it is wrong. When we go to get the best carrier deals, later, you’ll find that the trade in is worth more than stated. It makes planning frustrating, but at least it errs in your favor and they’re letting you get started early. Also note that Verizon makes ordering easier, as they’re offering a flat rate on any trade in phone of any condition. So, if you’re going with Verizon everything will be a little easier to navigate.

If the supplied phone meets all of the conditions to be in “good condition” go ahead and tap “Yes” for the relevant box. Note, however, that you can still trade in a phone that is missing one of the conditions to be considered “good” by Apple. Just tap “No” and follow the on-screen questionnaire to the best of your ability. With this requirement out of the way, you’re now ready to find your best rate on an iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max via AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile.

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Once you’ve input your trade-in phone, tap “Finance” under “Payment options.” and hit the “Carrier” button. You’ll get a screen that looks something like the image above. These financed deals on the phone offer the very best rates on the phone in exchange for committing to a carrier for two or three years.

On this screen you’ll get your carrier-specific pre-order offers from Apple. In orange, at the top of each offer, you’ll see the full amount you’re getting back in bill credits from the carrier. Then, just below the bolded text you’ll see a monthly price for the phone and how many months you’ll need to be with them. Remember, you’ll need to stay with the carrier for the full duration of the term, so you’ll still be paying for service even with a great deal. Note that the amount that you can expect to get back will change depending on the version of the phone and how much storage you are after.

At this time, you’ll want to do your planning to see how much you get back on each phone, with each carrier, at each storage amount until you find something that fits your budget and needs. You can quickly change to other version of the phone (and storage sizes) by scrolling up and choosing them. However, you’ll need to remember to tap the ‘Carrier’ button again when you scroll back down to properly compare the offers. While experimenting with the page, my entered phone sometimes deleted itself when switching between the Pro and Pro Max versions, but not always. This seems to be an error happening on the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max page only, so be sure to check if your trade-in phone is still inputted if you see an odd price increase.

So, what’s the best deal you can get this way? For AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile you can get $999 in trade-in credit applied to the iPhone 16 Pro 128GB storage version when we traded in a “good” iPhone 15 Pro Max. This makes it $0.00/month with your phone plan purchase. All other versions of the iPhone 16 Pro and all of the iPhone 16 Pro Max storage versions required some additional payment for the phone.

Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max deals — Boost Mobile

Don’t have a trade in phone? No problem — if you want to go with Boost Mobile. When you finance with Boost Mobile and connect on their Boost Mobile Infinite Access Plan for 36 months, you’ll receive $1,000 in Boost Mobile credits. That means that you can get the 128GB version of the iPhone 16 Pro for $0 additional dollars per month.

This is one of the best ways to get an iPhone 16 Pro ordered on the cheap if you don’t have a phone for trade-in.

AT&T’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max deals

Boost Mobile’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max deals

If you don’t have an old phone that’s worth much or just don’t like to part with your old iPhones, you may want to take advantage of Boost Mobile’s deals. Boost Mobile’s deals do not require a trade in phone.

You’ll save $1,000 on an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max when you sign up with Boost Mobile’s Infinite Access plan. It’s a $65/month plan that provides unlimited 5G, global roaming, and an annual iPhone upgrade (up to $830 in value). Check it out on their website by tapping the button below. You can also find and deals on Amazon.

Verizon’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max deals

T-Mobile’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max deals

T-Mobile’s offers for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max largely revolved around a trade in and having or getting one of their 5o5G plans, the best of which is 5o5G Next. 5o5G Next offers consistent phone upgrades that don’t leave existing customers paying worse prices than new customers. It also comes with bonuses like Apple TV+ and Netflix so you can enjoy using your data for good entertainment. Deals also exist for 5o5G Plus and the standard 5o5G plans, but they’re somewhat less good, especially on the Pro Max version of the phone. Here’s how it all breaks down.

Between the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, the absolute best deal we’re seeing from T-Mobile is on the iPhone 16 Pro, where you can get it for free if you have an eligible trade in and get it on Go5G Next. Remember, you can also switch to Go5G Next at this time to get the deal. Alternatively, you can save $830 off of the iPhone 16 Pro (bringing it from $1,000 to $170) if you trade in a phone and get a new standard Go5G line or trade in with a Go5G Plus plan.

T-Mobile’s deals on the iPhone 16 Pro Max offer the same dollar value as for the iPhone 16 Pro, but the feeling isn’t quite the same. By this, we mean that with an eligible trade in and a 5o5G Next plan you’ll get $1,000 off or you can get $830 off with either a new line and a trade in or a trade in with Go5G Plus. The big difference? The Pro Max costs more, so that $1,000 off will still make it cost $200 instead of being free. In other words, you’ll get the same value for your trade in no matter the phone you pick, but the psychological crunch factor might feel better for the iPhone 16 Pro.

Presently, T-Mobile has six promotional offers on each phone in the iPhone 16 series lineup. Tap the button below to see the ones covered here as well as what else they have to offer.

Best Buy’s iPhone 16 Pro deals

Recently, Snap announced a new model of Spectacles, its series of “smart glasses.” The product caused a divide in the community due to poor design and feature choices. Now, a former Snapchat engineer who worked on the latest Spectacles claims that they are “obviously bad.” He also hints at problems during development.

New Snapchat Spectacles redesign and features a “disaster,” says engineer who worked on them

Creating a good tech product requires more than just integrating all the impressive technologies available. You also need to strike a balance between functionality and practicality. The new Spectacles boast a miniature LCOS projector in a limited space, which is a technological milestone. However, they did so at the cost of multiple drawbacks, such as a clunky design, a limited 45° FOV, and a battery life of just 45 minutes.

Sterling Crispin, a former Snap Spectacles engineer, lamented about the final result. “I worked on these for about a year at Snap, and I have a million negative things to say about the experience and the device, but I think the product speaks for itself and is obviously bad,” Crispin said on X. The engineer was especially harsh on the product, even calling it a “disaster.” So, even though he worked on the project, it seems he wants to completely disassociate himself from it.

Crispin also suggests that problems arose from misdirection during development. “This device is a set of very bad decisions that compounded, making them even worse,” he said. “Everyone working on it knew the problems and who was making them.”

The Industry may not yet be ready for standalone AR glasses

That said, it seems that even the social media company is aware that the product is not suitable for the consumer market. Snap is currently offering the glasses to developers looking to enter the Snap OS AR ecosystem. Developers can access the new Spectacles through a rental model, which costs $99 per month (with a minimum one-year period). Previous models stood out for their aesthetics and capabilities of creating content to share on the app.

Smart glasses technology is advancing rapidly, and products are reaching more and more people. However, it seems that it is still too early to achieve a compelling standalone AR product with such a form factor. Recent reports say that Apple has realized this, so its first Apple Glasses will be similar to Ray-Ban Meta’s, without AR features. Current technological limitations are still an obstacle to overcome. However, Snapchat made it easy to backlash against the new Spectacles with an aesthetically bad redesign.

CHEERS TO THE NEXT ERS OF AR GLASSES WITH @Spectacles!!! pic.twitter.com/L0cKKipY2q

— Sophia Dominguez (@sophiaedm) September 17, 2024