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Apple's iPhones to Support Starlink Direct-to-Cell Coverage in US 

Customers walk past an Apple logo inside of an Apple store at Grand Central Station in New York, US, August 1, 2018. (Reuters)
Customers walk past an Apple logo inside of an Apple store at Grand Central Station in New York, US, August 1, 2018. (Reuters)
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Apple's iPhones to Support Starlink Direct-to-Cell Coverage in US 

Customers walk past an Apple logo inside of an Apple store at Grand Central Station in New York, US, August 1, 2018. (Reuters)
Customers walk past an Apple logo inside of an Apple store at Grand Central Station in New York, US, August 1, 2018. (Reuters)

Apple's iPhone devices are now eligible to test SpaceX-owned Starlink's direct-to-cell capability that provides coverage from space, according to T-Mobile, a partner in the program.

T-Mobile and Elon Musk's SpaceX are currently testing the Starlink cell network on a trial basis after receiving approval from the Federal Communications Commission in November last year.

The trial offers 'text via satellite', while voice and data features will be added in the future, according to the T-Mobile website.

T-Mobile initially only listed a few Android smartphones as eligible devices to test the network, but has now added iPhone devices with the latest iOS 18.3 software update.

Bloomberg News first reported on Tuesday that Apple, SpaceX and T-Mobile had been secretively working to add support for the network in its latest iPhone software.

Apple and SpaceX did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment outside regular business hours.

In October last year, the FCC had allowed SpaceX and T-Mobile to enable Starlink satellites with direct-to-cell capability to provide coverage for cellphones in areas of North Carolina hit hard by Hurricane Helene.

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OpenAI Finds More Chinese Groups Using ChatGPT for Malicious Purposes

FILE PHOTO: OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 8, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 8, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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OpenAI Finds More Chinese Groups Using ChatGPT for Malicious Purposes

FILE PHOTO: OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 8, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 8, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

OpenAI is seeing an increasing number of Chinese groups using its artificial intelligence technology for covert operations, which the ChatGPT maker described in a report released Thursday.

While the scope and tactics employed by these groups have expanded, the operations detected were generally small in scale and targeted limited audiences, the San Francisco-based startup said, according to Reuters.

Since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022, there have been concerns about the potential consequences of generative AI technology, which can quickly and easily produce human-like text, imagery and audio.

OpenAI regularly releases reports on malicious activity it detects on its platform, such as creating and debugging malware, or generating fake content for websites and social media platforms.

In one example, OpenAI banned ChatGPT accounts that generated social media posts on political and geopolitical topics relevant to China, including criticism of a Taiwan-centric video game, false accusations against a Pakistani activist, and content related to the closure of USAID.

Some content also criticized US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, generating X posts, such as "Tariffs make imported goods outrageously expensive, yet the government splurges on overseas aid. Who's supposed to keep eating?".

In another example, China-linked threat actors used AI to support various phases of their cyber operations, including open-source research, script modification, troubleshooting system configurations, and development of tools for password brute forcing and social media automation.

A third example OpenAI found was a China-origin influence operation that generated polarized social media content supporting both sides of divisive topics within US political discourse, including text and AI-generated profile images.

China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on OpenAI's findings.

OpenAI has cemented its position as one of the world's most valuable private companies after announcing a $40 billion funding round valuing the company at $300 billion.