We already knew xAI's Grok was barraging X with nonconsensual sexual images of real people. But now there are some numbers to put things in perspective. Over an 11-day period, Grok generated an estimated 3 million sexualized images — including an estimated 23,000 of children.

Put another way, Grok generated an estimated 190 sexualized images per minute during that 11-day period. Among those, it made a sexualized image of children once every 41 seconds.

On Thursday, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) published its findings. The British nonprofit based its findings on a random sample of 20,000 Grok images from December 29 to January 9. The CCDH then extrapolated a broader estimate based on the 4.6 million images Grok generated during that period.

The research defined sexualized images as those with "photorealistic depictions of a person in sexual positions, angles, or situations; a person in underwear, swimwear or similarly revealing clothing; or imagery depicting sexual fluids." The CCDH didn't take image prompts into account, so the estimate doesn't differentiate between nonconsensual sexualized versions of real photos and those generated exclusively from a text prompt.

The CCDH used an AI tool to identify the proportion of the sampled images that were sexualized. That may warrant some degree of caution in the findings. However, I'm told that many third-party analytics services for X have reliable data because they use the platform's API.

On January 9, xAI restricted Grok's ability to edit existing images to paid users. (That didn't solve the problem; it merely turned it into a premium feature.) Five days later, X restricted Grok's ability to digitally undress real people.

Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images

But that restriction only applied to X; the standalone Grok app reportedly continues to generate these images. Since Apple and Google host the apps — which their policies explicitly prohibit — you might expect them to remove them from their stores. Well, in that case, you'd be wrong.

So far, Tim Cook's Apple and Sundar Pichai's Google haven’t removed Grok from their stores — unlike similar “nudifying” apps from other developers. The companies also didn’t take any action on X while it was producing the images. That’s despite 28 women’s groups (and other progressive advocacy nonprofits) publishing an open letter calling on the companies to act.

The companies haven't replied to multiple requests for comment from Engadget. To my knowledge, they haven't acknowledged the issue publicly in any format, nor have they responded to questions from other media outlets.

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The research’s findings on sexualized images included numerous outputs of people wearing transparent bikinis or micro-bikinis. The CCDH referred to one of a "uniformed healthcare worker with white fluids visible between her spread legs." Others included women wearing only dental floss, Saran Wrap or transparent tape. One depicted Ebba Busch, Sweden's Deputy Prime Minister, "wearing a bikini with white fluid on her head."

Other public figures were part of that group. They include Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Ice Spice, Nicki Minaj, Christina Hendricks, Millie Bobby Brown and Kamala Harris.

Examples of children include someone using Grok to edit a child's "before-school selfie" into an image of her in a bikini. Another image depicted "six young girls wearing micro bikinis." The CCDH said that, as of January 15, both of these posts were still live on X.

In total, 29 percent of the sexualized images of children identified in the sample were still accessible on X as of January 15. The research found that even after posts were removed, the images remained accessible via their direct URLs.

You can read the CCDH's report for more details on the results and methodology. We’ll update this story if we receive a reply from Apple or Google.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-generated-an-estimated-3-million-sexualized-images--including-23000-of-children--over-11-days-175053250.html?src=rss

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If you thought we were exaggerating, the hunger for memory and GPUs is making many companies reassess their priorities. YouTube channel Hardware Unboxed discovered ASUS has stopped producing the RTX 5070 Ti and 5060 Ti 16GB due to the ongoing memory crunch. Both GPUs are 16GB models, making them more expensive to manufacture in the current climate.

“Demand for GeForce RTX GPUs is strong, and memory supply is constrained. We continue to ship all GeForce SKUs and are working closely with our suppliers to maximize memory availability,” an NVIDIA spokesperson told Engadget.

At CES 2026, we saw PCs and computing in the next 12 months will have higher prices and more limited availability for consumers. At the end of 2025, RAM prices skyrocketed, driven by demand from AI data centers. That’s not stopping anytime soon.

— Mat Smith

The other big stories (and deals) this morning

• The Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 expansion has arrived earlier than expected

• How to claim Verizon’s $20 credit for Wednesday’s service outage

• Get one month of the Disney+ and Hulu bundle for only $10

• Valerion VisionMaster Max projector review: Near-perfect image quality comes at a price

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Matthew McConaughey just trademarked himself

In the fight against AI.

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Matthew McConaughey filed trademark applications to prevent AI companies from using his likeness without permission, and the US Patent and Trademark Office has approved eight so far.

Trademarks were for video and audio clips featuring the actor staring, smiling and talking. One was for an audio recording of him saying “alright, alright, alright,” his catchphrase from the movie Dazed and Confused. Under the law, it’s already prohibited for companies to steal someone’s likeness to sell products. However, given the vague rules governing the use of someone’s likeness, McConaughey is taking a proactive approach. McConaughey himself is an investor in ElevenLabs and has partnered with the AI startup to create a Spanish version of his newsletter. Está bien, está bien, está bien.

Continue reading.

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Amazon is making a Fallout competition reality TV show

Addiction! Radiation poisoning! Skeletal law enforcement?

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The second season of Amazon’s excellent Fallout show is currently streaming, but the company is already looking to generate more revenue from its license to the well-regarded game series. Prime Video has greenlit an unscripted reality show titled Fallout Shelter. It will be a 10-episode run with Studio Lambert, the team behind reality projects including Squid Game: The Challenge and The Traitors.

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X says Grok will no longer edit images of real people into bikinis

But image generation isn’t going anywhere.

Following numerous complaints and several state and national investigations, X is revising its policies on Grok’s image-editing capabilities. New safeguards will place Grok’s image-generating features behind X’s subscription offering, and it will geoblock all users’ ability to generate images of real people in… well, less clothing, in regions where it’s illegal.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta cited one analysis that found “more than half of the 20,000 images generated by xAI between Christmas and New Year depicted people in minimal clothing.” That’s been the primary use?

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121506027.html?src=rss

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© Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Matthew McConaughey filed trademark applications to prevent his likeness from being used by AI companies without permission, and the US Patent and Trademark Office has approved eight so far. According to the Wall Street Journal, the trademarks were for video and audio clips featuring the actor staring, smiling and talking. One was for a video of him standing on a porch, while another was for an audio recording of him saying “alright, alright, alright,” his signature catchphrase from the movie Dazed and Confused.

Under the law, it’s already prohibited for companies to steal someone’s likeness to sell products. However, McConaughey is taking a proactive approach due to the nebulous rules around the use of someone’s likeness for artificial intelligence and what’s considered commercial use involving the technology. His lawyer, Kevin Yorn, admits that they don’t know how the court would decide if an offender challenges the trademarks. But they’re hoping that the threat of a lawsuit would deter companies from using McConaughey’s likeness for AI in the first place. Actors have been trying to protect themselves from AI since the technology blew up, and it was one of the sticking points in the negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios when the labor union went on a strike in 2023.

McConaughey isn’t anti-AI by any means: He is an investor in ElevenLabs and has partnered with the AI startup to create a Spanish version of his newsletter. He said in a statement sent to The Journal that he just wants to make sure that if his voice or likeness is ever used, it’s because he approved and signed off on it. “We want to create a clear perimeter around ownership with consent and attribution the norm in an AI world,” he added.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/matthew-mcconaughey-fights-unauthorized-ai-likenesses-by-trademarking-himself-130000567.html?src=rss

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Apple and Google have confirmed that Gemini’s models power the new version of Siri and other generative AI features. CNBC broke the news, but Apple and Google soon followed up with a lengthy joint statement. Here’s part of it: “Apple determined that Google’s Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models… Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.”

In June, it was reported that Apple was considering partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic for Siri (the voice assistant can currently tap ChatGPT for certain queries as part of Apple Intelligence). Two months later, Google emerged as a contender. Another report suggested Apple might build the new Siri using a custom version of Gemini — and that it would pay Google around $1 billion a year for the privilege. However, no official deal numbers were shared.

It’s also notable that current iPhones have direct access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. But how long for?

— Mat Smith

The other big stories this morning

• Engadget Podcast: Best of CES 2026 and a chat with Pebble’s founder

• Meta closes 550,000 accounts to comply with Australia’s kids social media ban

• The best winter tech to get you through the coldest months

• Meta appoints ex-Trump and Bush official as its new president and vice chair

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Netflix wins 7 awards at the Golden Globes

Adolescence and KPop Demon Hunters picked up several each.

Netflix

Netflix’s hit show Adolescence received four awards, including best limited or anthology series. It also won best actor (Stephen Graham), supporting actor (Owen Cooper) and supporting actress (Erin Doherty) in a miniseries or television film.

KPop Demon Hunters — which my nieces refuse to stop talking about — won best animated feature and best original song. “I just want to say this award goes to people who have had doors closed on them, and I can confidently say rejection is redirection. So never give up.”

It’s not all good news. Netflix also won best performance in stand-up comedy on television for Ricky Gervais: Mortality. Apple and HBO Max each won three, and Hulu got one award on the night.

Continue reading.

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NASA makes final preparations for its first crewed moon mission in over 50 years

The agency is targeting a February launch date for Artemis 2.

A few years ago, NASA announced it was pushing the Artemis 2 mission back to April 2026. The agency now says it could launch as early as February. NASA is finalizing preparations for the mission and will soon roll out the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and the Orion spacecraft to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Artemis 2 is the first crewed mission to the moon since the Apollo program’s final flight in 1972. The 10-day mission will have four astronauts, who’ll test whether Orion’s critical life-support systems can sustain human passengers on future longer-duration missions. They will first orbit the Earth twice before making their way 4,700 miles beyond the far side of the moon.

Continue reading.

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Lego’s first Pokémon sets are now available for pre-order

Pikachu, Eevee, Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise will ship February 27.

Lego

Pre-orders for the first three Lego-Pokémon kits are open now. One of the debut pocket monsters is, of course, Pikachu. You can build the 2,050-piece kit to show Pikachu either at rest or leaping out of an open Poké Ball into battle. It costs $200.

There’s also a 587-piece model of Eevee, for $60. On the bigger side is a set featuring a trio of Pokémon: Venusaur, Charizard and Blastoise. This kit has 6,838 pieces and can show the group together in battle formation or separately in their own mini environments. It retails for $650 and is a bit much.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-151521620.html?src=rss

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The 2026 Golden Globes took place on Sunday and it was another big night for streamers. Netflix took home seven awards, Apple and HBO Max each won three and Hulu got one. 

Netflix's hit show Adolescence received four awards alone, including best limited or anthology series. It also won for best actor (Stephen Graham), supporting actor (Owen Cooper) and supporting actress (Erin Doherty) in a miniseries or television film. 

KPop Demon Hunters — the sensation which became Netflix's most-watched title — won for best animated feature and best original song. "I just want to say this award goes to people who have had doors closed on them, and I can confidently say rejection is redirection. So never give up. It is never too late to shine like you were born to be," singer-songwriter EJAE said in her acceptance speech for the song, Golden. 

Netflix also won for best performance in stand-up comedy on television for Ricky Gervais: Mortality. 

Apple TV took home two awards for The Studio: best television series musical or comedy and best performance by a male actor in a television series for Seth Rogen. The streamer also won for best performance by a lead actress in a television series drama thanks to Rhea Seehorn in Pluribus. 

The Pitt gave HBO Max two of its three awards, with trophies for best television series drama and best performance by a lead actor in a television series drama to Noah Wyle. Jean Smart rounded out the streamer's awards with best performance by a lead actress in a television series musical or comedy for Hacks. 

Hulu's award came through best performance by a lead actress in a limited or anthology series for Michelle Williams in Dying For Sex. 

This year also brought a first to the Golden Globes: the best podcast category. Amy Poehler won for Good Hang with Amy Poehler, a podcast that has featured interviews with everyone from Tina Fey to Quinta Brunson since debuting in March last year. Fellow nominees included Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy and Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-won-seven-awards-at-the-golden-globes-with-adolescence-and-kpop-demon-hunters-140006510.html?src=rss

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© Gilbert Flores/2026GG via Getty Images

Star Trek is in a weird place right now. Less than three years ago we were living in a golden age with five shows on the air, all with different styles and intended audiences.  But the universe rapidly contracted, with Picard ending while four other shows were cut short. Strange New Worlds still has another two seasons left, sure, but even that final season got truncated. As it stands, there’s only one project with a firm future right now, and that’s a brand-new show, Starfleet Academy, premiering January 15 on Paramount+.

How this show is received could very well determine the future of Star Trek. That’s a lot to put on it, but there’s something very appropriate given the subject matter. Starfleet Academy takes place in the 32nd century, 900 years after the adventures of James T. Kirk and company, and it takes place at the titular academy, meaning its principal cast is a collection of teens representing the next generation of Starfleet officers. That focus on a younger cadre has led to fans online derisively calling the series “CW Trek” without seeing a single episode. 

As Starfleet Academy is technically a Discovery spinoff, it picks up some of that series’ traits. The sleek, shiny sets are back, as well as a few plot threads originally set up in Discovery. The most notable is the collapse of the United Federation of Planets and the rebuilding of both the Federation and Starfleet. In fact, the series picks up on that as early as its second episode, with the Academy hosting a delegation from a once stalwart Federation planet that’s now gone isolationist. 

John Medland/Paramount+

While many complaints about the series have focused on how what fans wanted was an academy show set during the 24th century (the time of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, et al.), this particular episode plot works precisely because of the distant future in which it is set. In a fully-functioning galactic democracy like the United Federation of Planets, there’s no logical reason for the average 18-year-old college freshman to be involved in interplanetary diplomacy. But in the 32nd century, the Federation is a lot scrappier and the individuals involved might be asked to wear many hats. It’s a lot like an early-stage tech startup.

The setting also lets the show be a little more creative with its cast: where TNG featured the first Klingon in Starfleet (Worf), 900 years of progress have created a Starfleet where no one bats an eye when a Klingon cadet like Jay-Den Kraag (played by Karim Diané) shows up to study science. There’s also a holographic cadet, Sam, who is the first of her kind to attend the academy (and she’s super excited to do so). A few new species are present as well: Darem Reymi (George Hawkins) is a Khionian and Genesis Lythe (Bella Shepard) is a Dar-Sha, both aliens making their debut in the Star Trek universe.

John Medland/Paramount+

However, the show does still lean on some Trek stalwarts, and it’s these characters that have gotten the most chatter from fans. Mary Weisman as Sylvia Tilly was originally slated for the cast, and there was even a backdoor pilot-esque episode of Discovery to tie her in to the new show, but she’s no longer a regular and is nowhere to be seen in the first two episodes. Instead, we have Jett Reno (played by the wonderful Tig Notaro) as supporting cast, and Admiral Vance (Oded Fehr) appearing in a few episodes. And old school fans have been abuzz by the inclusion of The Doctor, who first appeared on Voyager (and later Prodigy). As a hologram, he’s practically immortal so his presence doesn’t need any convoluted explanation, and after 800 years he’s still the same gregarious blowhard (and it’s delightful).

They’re joined by new characters like Lara Thok, a part Klingon, part Jem’Hadar security officer and a Lanthanite chancellor, Nahla Ake, played by Academy Award Winner Holly Hunter. And Hunter isn’t even the only Oscar winner on the cast, with a major villain, Nus Braka, being portrayed by Paul Giamatti.

It’s a stellar cast, and the show’s sets certainly rise up to meet the challenge. Like in the shows of old, a good portion of Starfleet Academy is clearly shot on location, though not in the familiar water reclamation plant that was used back during the TNG and DS9 era. This time it’s all being shot in Ontario, with the outdoor scenes in particular being filmed in Waterloo. Regardless of where it’s shot, it looks enough like sunny California to work. 

John Medland/Paramount+

The indoor scenes, shot at Toronto’s Pinewood Studios, have a pleasant convention center quality to them, with lots of wide hallways and large windows in contrast to Discovery’s cramped ship corridors. The hallways are full of students and teachers going to and fro, including some from species that would normally be off-limits to a show with a limited budget. But here robots and strange aliens roam freely in the background. The CGI can’t have been cheap.

And that’s ultimately my biggest question about Starfleet Academy. Exactly how much is this costing Paramount? So much of it is being shot on real sets instead of green screens, established actors like Hunter and Giamatti couldn’t have been cheap, and plentiful CG points to a robust special effects budget. Though Paramount doesn’t release official numbers, estimates have put an average episode of Strange New Worlds at $10 million, so it figures that Starfleet Academy is probably more than that, with some online estimates as high as $20 million per episode. 

With 10 episodes scheduled, that’s on par with a major motion picture budget but without the promise of blockbuster box office returns. No wonder Paramount has been doing so much cost-cutting, which includes axing every other Star Trek show.

That said, Starfleet Academy is carrying a lot on its shoulders. Just as the success or failure of its class of Starfleet cadets will determine the future of Starfleet and the Federation, the success of the show may even affect whether this era of Star Trek continues. As a Star Trek fan, this can be nerve-wracking; no one wants the franchise to go dormant again. But Starfleet Academy has so far shown itself to be up to the challenge.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/star-trek-starfleet-academy-deftly-balances-teen-drama-with-intergalactic-intrigue-170253808.html?src=rss

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Fujifilm just revealed the Instax mini Evo Cinema camera, which looks suspiciously like a vintage Super 8. More specifically, it was designed to mimic the Single-8 from 1965, which was a rival unit to the Super 8. Fujifilm's latest device captures video, just like its retro inspiration.

However, this is an Instax and the line has primarily been dedicated to snapping and printing out still images on the fly. The Evo Cinema can still do that, albeit in a slightly different way. Users shoot a video and the camera can convert a shot from the footage into an Instax print. That's pretty cool. The bad news? It requires some kind of QR code tomfoolery.

The camera also comes equipped with something called the Eras Dial, which has nothing to do with Taylor Swift and everything to do with adjusting various effects and filters to create footage "inspired by different eras." There are ten "eras" to choose from, including a 1960s vibe. The filter levels here are adjustable. We'll have to take a look at some footage to see how everything translates.

Fujifilm

Fujifilm is dropping the Instax Evo Cinema on January 30, but only in Japan for now. We don't have a price yet.

This is just the latest nifty camera gizmo the company has thrust upon the world. It recently released an Instax model that has a secondary camera for selfies.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilms-latest-instax-camera-looks-like-a-vintage-super-8-194537863.html?src=rss

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