Microsoft removes guide on how to train LLMs on pirated Harry Potter books

Following backlash in a [Hacker News thread][1], Microsoft deleted a blog post that critics said encouraged developers to pirate Harry Potter books to train AI models that could then be used to create AI slop.

The blog, which is archived [here][2], was written in November 2024 by a senior product manager, Pooja Kamath. According to her LinkedIn, Kamath has been at Microsoft for more than a decade and remains with the company. In 2024, Microsoft tapped her to promote a new feature that the blog said made it easier to "add generative AI features to your own applications with just a few lines of code using Azure SQL DB, LangChain, and LLMs."

What better way to show "engaging and relatable examples" of Microsoft's new feature that would "resonate with a wide audience" than to "use a well-known dataset" like Harry Potter books, the blog said.

[Read full article][3]

[Comments][4]

[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47067759
[2]: https://archive.is/D9vEN
[3]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/02/microsoft-removes-guide-on-how-to-train-llms-on-pirated-harry-potter-books/
[4]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/02/microsoft-removes-guide-on-how-to-train-llms-on-pirated-harry-potter-books/#comments

Microsoft generated an AI image of Harry Potter with a Microsoft logo in a now-deleted blog.


https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/02/microsoft-removes-guide-on-how-to-train-llms-on-pirated-harry-potter-books/

F1: Preseason tests shows how different 2026 will be

It's just two weeks until F1 gets underway in Australia, and teams are currently in Bahrain, midway through their third and final preseason test. The 2026 season promises to be [wildly different][1] from those of the past few years, with all-new cars, engines, hybrid systems, and sustainable fuels entering the mix and shaking up the established order.

You shouldn't read too much into times from preseason testing. The cars don't have to conform to the in-season rules as teams test new components or fit-test rigs; for example, glowing brake discs could once again be seen on some cars that weren't running wheel covers at an earlier test, something we're unlikely to see during actual races.

You also don't know how much fuel—and therefore extra weight—anyone is carrying. In the past, some teams have even made headlines by running too light to set more competitive lap times in an effort to impress potential sponsors. And as the name explains, it's a test, so drivers will be following run plans devised with their engineers to learn specific things about their new cars. Or as one Internet wag once put it, the times mean as much as "a bacon briefcase."

[Read full article][2]

[Comments][3]

[1]: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/12/formula-1-is-deploying-new-jargon-for-2026/
[2]: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/02/f1-preseason-tests-shows-how-different-2026-will-be/
[3]: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/02/f1-preseason-tests-shows-how-different-2026-will-be/#comments

Red Bull promoted Isack Hadjar to the top team for 2026. Will he fare any better against Max Verstappen than past teammates?


https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/02/f1-preseason-tests-shows-how-different-2026-will-be/

What happens to a car when the company behind its software goes under?

Imagine turning the key or pressing the start button of your car—and nothing happens. Not because the battery is dead or the engine is broken but because a server no longer answers. For a growing number of cars, that scenario isn’t hypothetical.

As vehicles become platforms for software and subscriptions, their longevity is increasingly tied to the survival of the companies behind their code. When those companies fail, the consequences ripple far beyond a bad app update and into the basic question of whether a car still functions as a car.

Over the years, automotive software has expanded from performing rudimentary engine management and onboard diagnostics to powering today’s interconnected, software-defined vehicles. Smartphone apps can now handle tasks like unlocking doors, flashing headlights, and preconditioning cabins—and some models won’t unlock at all unless a phone running the manufacturer’s app is within range.

[Read full article][1]

[Comments][2]

[1]: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/02/what-happens-to-a-car-when-the-company-behind-its-software-goes-under/
[2]: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/02/what-happens-to-a-car-when-the-company-behind-its-software-goes-under/#comments

Fisker managed to deliver some Oceans before it sank. But are those owners beached now?


https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/02/what-happens-to-a-car-when-the-company-behind-its-software-goes-under/

Review: At $349, AMD’s 16GB Radeon RX 9060 XT is the new midrange GPU to beat

If that $349 price is real then it's a great deal; if it's not real, it depends.


https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/06/review-at-349-amds-16gb-radeon-rx-9060-xt-is-the-new-midrange-gpu-to-beat/

Are Dead Sea Scrolls older than we thought?

Combining radiocarbon dating and a new AI program called Enoch yields surprising results.


https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/06/are-dead-sea-scrolls-older-than-we-thought/

Lawsuit: DOGE, HHS used “hopelessly error-ridden” data to fire 10,000 workers

Firing spree allegedly based on incorrect employee scores and other basic errors.


https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/06/lawsuit-doge-hhs-used-hopelessly-error-ridden-data-to-fire-10000-workers/