Image by germany_photography, from Needpix
YouTube Expands AI Auto-Dubbing To Thousands Of Channels
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
YouTube has announced the expansion of its AI-powered auto-dubbing feature to “hundreds of thousands of channels” within the YouTube Partner Program, focusing on knowledge and informational content, but says it will expand content categories in the future.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Dubbing supports nine languages, including French, Spanish, Japanese, and English.
- AI dubs are auto-created but can be previewed, unpublished, or deleted by creators.
- YouTube cautions the dubbing technology is new and may have translation inaccuracies.
The languages offered depend on the original video’s language. Videos initially in English can be translated into French, German, Hindi, Italian, Spanish, Indonesian, Japanese, and Portuguese. For videos in these languages, YouTube will produce English dubs.
Viewers can identify auto-dubbed videos through the “auto-dubbed” label or use the track selector to switch to the original language. The platform also remembers users’ language preferences for future videos.
For eligible channels, AI dubs are generated automatically when a video is uploaded. Creators have the option to preview, unpublish, or delete the dubs before they go live, as detailed in a YouTube support document.
To view the dubbed version while watching the video, users can select the track selector option to switch between the dubbed audio and the original language. The Verge provides an example of an English dub for a French video on making potatoes au gratin:
Despite the innovation, YouTube acknowledges that the technology is still developing and may not always deliver perfect translations or accurately represent the original speaker’s voice. The company is actively working to improve its accuracy and quality.
Creators can manage the feature in YouTube Studio under “Advanced Settings,” where they can review dubs before publishing.
Additionally, future updates will introduce “Expressive Speech,” previewed at Made on YouTube, which aims to replicate the creator’s tone , emotion, and even environmental ambiance.
Image by DC Studio, from Freepik
U.S. Sanctions Chinese Cyber Firm Over Cyberattack That Could Have Caused Fatalities
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor
The United States has sanctioned the Chengdu-based Sichuan Silence Information Technology Company and one of its employees, Guan Tianfeng, over a sweeping cyberattack that Treasury officials warn could have had deadly consequences.
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Malicious software targeted 80,000 firewalls, stealing data and deploying ransomware.
- Attack endangered critical infrastructure, including active oil drilling operations.
- Guan Tianfeng faces charges; FBI offers $10M reward for information on him.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury revealed that Sichuan Silence deployed malicious software to over 80,000 firewalls operated by thousands of companies worldwide in April 2020. The malware not only stole sensitive data but also installed ransomware that encrypted corporate networks, leaving them inoperable.
Over 23,000 of the compromised firewalls were located in the United States, including 36 safeguarding critical infrastructure systems. Without timely patches or swift cybersecurity intervention, these intrusions could have had devastating effects.
According to the Treasury, one energy company targeted in the campaign was engaged in active drilling operations during the attack. The malicious activity, had it not been mitigated, “could have caused oil rigs to malfunction,” potentially resulting in “serious injury or the loss of human life.”
The U.S. Department of Justice has also charged Guan Tianfeng with conspiracy to commit computer and wire fraud, according to an indictment made public on Tuesday, as reported by Reuters .
The FBI is offering a $10 million reward for information on Guan, also known online as “gxiaomao,” his company, or their hacking activities, said Reuters.
The sanctions freeze any U.S.-based assets of Sichuan Silence and Guan, while generally prohibiting U.S. banks, companies, or individuals from conducting business with them, reported Aljazeera .
When contacted, Sichuan Silence did not respond to inquiries, and Reuters was unable to locate Guan for comment. Beijing has consistently denied any involvement in hacking or other malicious cyber activities.
Ross McKerchar, chief information security officer of the UK-based cybersecurity firm Sophos, whose routers were among those targeted in the 2020 attack, condemned the hackers’ persistence. “The attackers showed relentless determination,” he said in a statement reported by Reuters.
