Ukraine Collects 2 Million Hours of Battlefield Footage To Train AI For Military Purposes - 1

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Ukraine Collects 2 Million Hours of Battlefield Footage To Train AI For Military Purposes

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Ukraine gathered a large database of around 2 million hours of battlefield footage from over 15,000 drone crews since Russia’s invasion in 2022.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Ukrainian organization gathered 2 million hours of battlefield footage from over 15,000 drones
  • The database is expected to be used to train AI-powered systems to improve military strategies
  • Russia and Ukraine have been using AI during the war since 2022

According to Reuters , the footage gathered—equivalent to 228 years of video—includes content from Russia and Ukraine’s frontiers and can be used to train AI models for military purposes.

“This is food for the AI: If you want to teach an AI, you give it 2 million hours (of video), it will become something supernatural,” said Oleksandr Dmitriev, founder of the non-profit digital system OCHI, to Reuters.

Dmitriev explained that the footage could be used to improve combat tactics and optimize weapons’s performance with AI-powered systems.

The use of artificial intelligence for military tactics is not new. Both Russia and Ukraine have used this technology during their conflict to scan images and identify targets more effectively than a human could, or to fly to certain regions without human piloting.

After realizing that the drones deployed in 2022 could provide valuable information for AI training, Dmitriev’s team has been gathering around 5 terabytes of new data daily.

The Ukrainian government also has another system called Avengers which collects and processes its own data. The Ministry of Defense revealed that with this AI-powered tool, they have been able to identify 12,000 Russian targets.

Experts agree that the large battlefield footage could be very powerful depending on the quality of the images, but Dmitriev didn’t disclose more details.

The use of AI for military purposes has been increasing in multiple regions of the world. A few weeks ago it was revealed that Chinese researchers have been using Meta’s AI model Llama to develop military systems, and Google Deepmind workers have expressed concerns over Google’s contracts with military organizations .

Google Issues Warning Of Second Cyberattack Wave Targeting 2.5 Billion Gmail Users - 2

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Google Issues Warning Of Second Cyberattack Wave Targeting 2.5 Billion Gmail Users

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

Google has alerted its 2.5 billion Gmail users to an impending second wave of cyber threats this holiday season, urging vigilance against phishing and malware attacks. Google warns that attackers are persistent and typically intensify their efforts during this period.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Google warns of a second wave of phishing and malware scams targeting Gmail.
  • Gmail has blocked over 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware this holiday season.
  • Scams this season include fake invoices, celebrity endorsements, and extortion threats.

Since mid-November, Google has observed a “massive surge” in email traffic, increasing the challenge of maintaining inbox security. Despite these threats, Google noted a 35% drop in phishing attacks compared to last year’s holiday season.

However, Gmail remains a prime target due to its vast user base, prompting Google to invest heavily in security measures that block over 99.9% of spam, phishing, and malware.

Google’s recent blog post highlighted significant improvements in security, with Gmail users reporting one-third fewer scams during the first holiday month than in 2023. Google’s systems blocked millions of additional harmful messages before they reached users’ inboxes.

While Gmail’s robust systems block the majority of threats, scammers are adapting their tactics, making user awareness critical. Google warns that this season has seen a surge in three types of scams. Specifically, invoice scams involve fake billing emails designed to provoke disputes, during which scammers manipulate victims into making payments.

Celebrity scams exploit the names of famous individuals, either by impersonating them or falsely claiming endorsements for products, tricking users with “too good to be true” promises. Extortion scams take a more menacing approach, using personal details such as home addresses to issue threats of harm or exposure unless demands are met.

Additionally, Check Point researchers recently revealed that cybercriminals are now exploiting Google Calendar and Google Drawings for phishing attacks . Imitations of calendar invitations redirect users to malicious links designed to steal sensitive information.

Meanwhile, Forbes reported a rise in AI-driven phishing scams. Attackers use AI to mimic Google support, creating hyper-realistic calls and emails that deceive even experienced users .

In one case, a scammer combined fake recovery notifications, a spoofed Google phone number, and an AI-generated call to trick a Microsoft consultant. Another incident involved a phishing attempt exploiting a false claim about a family member’s death to approve fraudulent account recovery.

To stay secure, Google advises users to slow down and carefully evaluate emails, especially those that create urgency or fear. Verifying the authenticity of messages and senders is essential, as is refusing to share sensitive information or make payments under pressure.