I think adopting a cat, maybe two so they keep each other company, is an excellent idea
The older cats are usually back behind the kittens, so rarely looked over
File under: "That's just our System"
Canada #53 >>20442502
Air Canada Argues in Court that Its AI Chatbot Is a ‘Separate Legal Entity Responsible for Its Own Actions’
By Lucas Nolan 19 Feb 2024
A recent small claims court decision found Air Canada liable for incorrect advice given by its website chatbot that led to a grieving customer paying more for plane tickets. Incredibly, the airline argued that its AI chatbot is “a separate legal entity responsible for its own actions.”
CBC reports that Jake Moffatt was looking to book last-minute plane tickets from British Columbia to Toronto after the death of his grandmother. While on Air Canada’s website, he used the customer service chatbot to ask about getting bereavement fares and the AI chatbot advised that if Moffatt booked full-price tickets immediately, he could submit a refund application within 90 days to get the cheaper bereavement rate.
Trusting this advice, Moffatt booked tickets for a total of $1,630. However, after completing the trip, Air Canada informed him that bereavement discounts don’t apply retroactively to already-purchased tickets. When Moffatt complained and showed a screenshot of the chatbot’s guidance, an Air Canada rep admitted the chatbot had provided “misleading words” but said the company had updated the system.
Unhappy with this resolution, Moffatt took Air Canada to small claims court. In a legal filing, Air Canada argued argued that its chatbot is “a separate legal entity responsible for its own actions.” But adjudicator Christopher Rivers called this “a remarkable submission,” stating that Air Canada owns its website and chatbot.
Ultimately, Rivers ruled that Air Canada failed to take reasonable care to ensure its chatbot provided accurate information. He ordered the airline to pay Moffatt $812 — the difference between the full-price and bereavement fares.
In its defence, Air Canada claimed customers could find the right bereavement policy details elsewhere on its website. But Rivers said there was no reason Moffatt should have known one section was accurate while another was wrong.
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2024/02/19/air-canada-argues-in-court-that-its-ai-chatbot-is-a-separate-legal-entity-responsible-for-its-own-actions/
Boatfag confirms
Had posted about it last night, vessel name had not yet been released
Crew abandon bulk carrier after Houthi missile attack
Sam Chambers February 19, 2024
In a weekend of multiple attacks by the Houthis, they claim to have had their largest strike since they entered the war between Israel and Hamas in October with claims a bulk carrier has been struck, its crew evacuated, and a risk the ship could sink.
An explosion happened in close proximity to the Belize-flagged Rubymar on Sunday night, resulting in damage. The ship is owned by Golden Adventure Shipping from the UK. The attack took place in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, whilst the vessel was heading northbound from Khorfakkan in the UAE to Varna, Bulgaria.
Subsequent updates said that the crew was forced to abandon the ship due to damage from a reported fire onboard. There have been no reports of crew injuries.
A spokesperson for the Houthis has since said the ship is close to sinking, potentially becoming the first total constructive loss since the Red Sea shipping crisis started four months ago. Houthis have exaggerated details of damage to ships in the past and at present there is no way of corroborating how badly hit the vessel is.
Adding to the confusion, an update from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. “Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe.”
Meanwhile, British maritime security consultants Ambrey notes that the vessel had been drifting in a pattern consistent with engine failure for much of the weekend prior to the strike.
The ship had been temporarily detained in December 2023 for several propulsion and auxiliary machinery defects including main engine propulsion, auxiliary engine, and bilge pumping arrangements.
On Friday, the Houthis struck the British-owned oil tanker Pollux with a missile. The tanker was transporting Russian oil from the Russian Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk and and was on its way to bring the oil to a refinery in Paradip, India.
Adding to the heightened sense of fear for seafarers facing Red Sea transits, US forces over the weekend identified and destroyed a new class of weaponry in Yemen: a drone submersible, also known as an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV).
On Friday, the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) – where crew employers and unions meet – revealed an agreement allowing seafarers to refuse to sail on ships passing through the Red Sea.
Seafarers must give seven days’ notice prior to entering the high risk area, given the logistical constraints of passage and the difficulty to facilitate disembarkation in a safe port and mobilise repatriation in the area.
More:
https://splash247.com/crew-abandon-bulk-carrier-after-houthi-missile-attack/
This was the older stuff:
UK-Registered Cargo Ship Reported Under Attack In Bab al-Mandab Strait==
Reuters February 18, 2024
https://gcaptain.com/uk-registered-cargo-ship-reported-under-attack-in-bab-al-mandab-strait/
The update about the abandonment:
"Military authorities report crew have abandoned the vessel", UKMTO added in an updated advisory note early on Monday, adding that the vessel was at anchor and all crew were safe.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-ambrey-uk-registered-cargo-212609836.html