New York is the first US state to ban smart glasses in all its courthouses

**Rana El-Kalyoubi** (0:00)
What does the AI revolution mean for jobs, for getting things done? Who are the people creating this technology, and what do they think? I'm Rana El-Kalyoubi, an AI scientist, entrepreneur, investor, and now host of the new podcast, Pioneers of AI. Think of it as your guide for all things AI, with the most human issues at the center. Join me every Wednesday for Pioneers of AI.
And don't forget to subscribe wherever you tune in.

**Imran Shaikh** (0:34)
New York becomes the first US state to ban smart glasses in all its courthouses. More on that coming up, but first, on Tuesday, Meta announced its new AI Muse image generator for Instagram, Meta AI, and WhatsApp, promising advanced reasoning to understand complex prompts, seamlessly blending multiple photos into high-quality creations. In Instagram, the future lets you add 30 new effects for stories, with one that makes your photo look like it was taken with a disposable camera. For example, it also includes an interface in Instagram's image editor to let you preview the effects before applying them. Sounds useful, but as part of the update, all public Instagram profiles are automatically opted in to be used in Muse Images' AI remixes. Anyone can tag your account's profile in a prompt, then use Meta AI to generate an image based on your likeness. Tagging a username lets Meta AI use public photos to build a visual that's ready to post. As Meta cheerfully explains in its blog, suffice to say, it's a feature that's ripe for abuse. Luckily, there are settings available to block people from remixing your images while keeping your account public. To access them, open the Instagram app, tap your profile, and then tap the hamburger, the reline menu at the top right of your screen. Then scroll down to the sharing and reuse setting. You'll see a category called allow people to create with and reuse your content. Tap to toggle that setting off for both posts and reels. The new feature has provoked user rage on Reddit and elsewhere, particularly the part where all public accounts are automatically opted in. Another big problem is that if someone does reuse your content, you won't even be notified about it, according to Instagram's help center. And if someone has already used Meta AI to remix your images, they won't be deleted after you disable the setting. I noticed that this option was turned on by default for me in France, and given privacy laws here and across the EU, I expect we haven't heard the last of this. Remember, you can find the latest Gadget News, reviews, price drops, and more right now at engadget.com.
This is not the future we were promised.

**SPEAKER_3** (2:55)
Like, how about that for a tagline for the show? From the BBC, this is The Interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world.

**Imran Shaikh** (3:06)
This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews.

**SPEAKER_3** (3:09)
It's about what technology is actually doing to your work and your politics, your everyday life.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:15)
And all the bizarre ways people are using the Internet.

**SPEAKER_3** (3:19)
Listen on bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

**Imran Shaikh** (3:27)
New York wants to make sure nobody can surreptitiously record court proceedings using their smart glasses. Starting on July 20th, all courts in New York state will officially ban smart glasses within their premises. It applies to New York's 1,240 state, county, city, town and village courts. According to the local publication Syracuse, signs announcing the ban were posted last week on the doors of the Honorable James C. Torney III Criminal Courthouse. The ban prohibits all types of eyewear and headwear equipped with cameras and microphones inside all unified court system facilities. Even smart glasses with prescription lenses are included, and the signs being posted on courthouses are asking people to bring a regular pair of glasses to use while they're inside. While some courts in other states such as Wisconsin and Pennsylvania already do not allow smart glasses on their premises, New York is the first state to issue a blanket ban. Recording generally isn't permitted in courts, and the New York State Unified Court System's rules explicitly state that taking photographs, films, or videotapes or audio taping, broadcasting, or telecasting in a courthouse, including any courtroom, office, or hallway thereof, at any time or on any occasion, whether or not that court is in session, is forbidden. Smart glasses could make it easier to record in a sneaky way, seeing as there's no need to raise a camera or a phone to start taking a video. They typically do have lights that switch on and blink to indicate that the user is currently taking photos or recording videos, but users could disable them or get them removed by a modder for a price.