Briefing Desk
Latest Briefings
Concise reporting on the developments shaping internet governance and infrastructure. Browse each area for recent news, context and watchpoints.
PhNOG 2024 Week celebrates 30 years of Philippine internet
PhNOG 2024 Week celebrates 30 years of Philippine Internet, hosting key workshops and forums on IPv6 deployment and internet best practices.
Spain’s Acciona launches EV with interchangeable battery
Acciona, Spain, has launched an electric vehicle designed for city driving with the option of a subscription-based battery exchange service.
Ocado and Aeon to build third robotic warehouse in Japan
Ocado is expanding its partnership with Japan’s Aeon by building a third robotic warehouse in Kuki-Miyashiro, Saitama, set to open in 2027.
Decentralised AI: Tether CEO urges security overhaul
Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO, warns about OpenAI’s recent security breach, advocating for decentralised AI models as crucial for privacy and resilience.
Nvidia set to make $12B from AI chip sales in China
Nvidia is forecasted to dispatch over one million H20 accelerator chips to China this year, priced at $12,000-$13,000 each, potentially accruing $12 billion in revenue.
Tesla unveils Optimus II, humanoid robot for the future
Tesla unveiled its Optimus II humanoid robot at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 4.
Talen faces utility challenge over Amazon data centre deal
Talen Energy is urging U.S. regulators to dismiss a challenge from electric utilities to its deal with Amazon for powering a new data centre.
Does AI help or hinder our memories of passed loved ones?
OUR TAKEThe idea of AI memorials tugs at my heart in conflicting ways. I understand the appeal of having a digital semblance of a loved one, but it feels like trying to hold onto a shadow. Nothing can replace the warmth of a real hug, the sound of genuine laughter, or the feeling of being truly
German government’s bitcoin sales trigger market decline
In January 2024, Saxony police seized 50,000 bitcoins worth $2.2 billion. For weeks, Germany has been selling hundreds of millions in bitcoin.
Samsung faces major union strike – 20% of workforce takes action
Samsung’s National Electronics Union (NSEU), representing a fifth of its workforce, plans a three-day strike starting Monday.
SK On declares ‘emergency’ amid disappointing EV sales
SK On declares a crisis due to disappointing EV sales and increased net debt, prompting CEO Lee Seok-hee to implement emergency cost-cutting measures.
Nokia and BT pioneer 5G SA spectrum aggregation milestone
In a groundbreaking achievement for European telecommunications, Nokia and BT have successfully aggregated the 5G SA spectrum using 5CC CA.
Apple Watch Series 10 may get an Ultra-sized screen
The Apple Watch Series 10 is set to debut with a 2-inch display, rivalling the Apple Watch Ultra’s screen size.
China holds AI event showing resilience toward US sanctions
Chinese tech companies showcased resilience and innovations at the World AI Conference in Shanghai despite US sanctions.
Apple to enhance Siri with AI in 2025 update
Apple plans to enhance Siri with the Apple Intelligence AI system in iOS 18.4, featuring improved task automation and tech support, expected to roll out in spring 2025.
Taiwan central bank has no timetable for launch of digital currency
OUR TAKE A study released in March showed that a total of 134 countries, representing 98% of the global economy, are exploring digital versions of their national currencies, with more than half of them in advanced development, pilot or start-up stages.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened Taiwan c.b…
Cryptocurrency hacking thefts double to $1.4 billion in first half of 2024
OUR TAKE The dramatic increase in cryptocurrency thefts, totalling over $1.38 billion in six months, highlights substantial financial losses affecting investors and companies in the crypto market. It underscores ongoing vulnerabilities in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, raising concerns about security…
Top tech news stories today: July 8, 2024
The new WhatsApp beta for Android lets users send photos to Meta AI for edits. Meta has added features like creating avatars from user photos.
Gupshup and Tonik Bank revamp banking with AI chatbot
Gupshup has partnered with Tonik Bank to introduce a advanced Generative AI chatbot within Tonik’s mobile application.
Telecom Egypt partners with 4iG Group to build fibre network
OUR TAKE Earlier this year, 4iG also signed a separate memorandum of understanding with Telecom Egypt to deploy a submarine cable between Egypt and Albania, the company’s first foray into the submarine cable industry.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened Telecom Egypt and Hungarian telecom company 4…
Transforma Insights identifies IoT key themes and market leaders
OUR TAKE Compliance is both a challenge and an opportunity. The permanent roaming issue has largely been resolved, but new data sovereignty, national flexibility and other regulations are on the way.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened Transforma Insights, a leading global IoT analytics firm, has r…
Hacker breaches OpenAI, steals internal AI technology details
A hacker accessed OpenAI’s internal messaging systems last year, stealing details about AI technologies from an employee forum but not breaching core systems.
YouTube permits requests for removing AI-generated content
YouTube has allowed users to request the removal of AI-generated content simulating their face or voice to protect privacy.
Viral ‘China-spoiled’ video showcases China’s digital convenience
China-Spoiled highlights the struggle of those accustomed to these conveniences when returning to slower-paced environments.
Apple blocks 25 VPN apps in Russia
OUR TAKE VPN is gaining traction globally as a tool to bypass geographic restrictions and protect personal privacy. In countries like Russia, VPN is not only a tool for freedom of information, but an essential means of protecting personal privacy from government censorship.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter Wh…
Upward-facing disaster: My #1 personal gripe with Huawei laptops
OUR TAKE Huawei products have a massive following in China. The company initially focused on manufacturing smartphones but has since expanded to include a variety of electronic products such as tablets, smartwatches, and computers. Whenever a new product is launched, it’s practically a scene of fren…
Asus to show next-generation Ryzen AI 300 laptop on July 17
OUR TAKE The competition is set to intensify as several notebook manufacturers prepare to show off new notebooks using AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 processors, helping to drive technological advancement and innovation to give consumers more choice and more advanced performance.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What hap…
Are VPN apps safe?
Is a VPN app safe to use? This question is more relevant than ever as online privacy concerns grow. In this blog, we’ll delve into the safety of VPN apps, explore their benefits, and uncover potential risks to help you make an informed decision. Understanding VPNs Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are…
Discovering Expansion Ventures: Innovators in venture capital
What is Expansion Ventures? Expansion Ventures is a pioneering venture capital firm dedicated to supporting startups that drive technological innovation, sustainability, and social impact. Founded with the mission to empower visionary entrepreneurs, Expansion Ventures has made a name for itself by i…
Lexus confronts chip shortage crunch: Production woes revealed
As demand for cars surges post-pandemic, the shortage of crucial chips used in EV has posed significant hurdles for Lexus.
India’s X alternative Koo to shut down services
OUR TAKE Launched in 2020, Koo offers instant messaging services in more than 10 Indian languages. The site gains traction in 2021 after several ministers backs it during a dispute between the Indian government and X, then known as Twitter.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened Millions of social med…
AI-focused firms see big jump in market cap in June
AI-focused chipmakers, notably Nvidia, experienced significant market capitalisation gains, briefly surpassing Microsoft as the world’s most valuable company.
China tops generative AI patents, with 38,000 in past decade
China leads the generative AI patent race, filing over 38,000 patents in the past decade, far surpassing the US.
Meta plans to bring generative AI to metaverse games
Meta, through advanced generative AI, is pioneering the integration of innovative gaming experiences in the metaverse.
Nintendo says it won’t use generative AI to make games
OUR TAKE While generative AI tools have proven their creative potential, their commercial use is highly dependent on the source of the data sets used to train AI models. Nintendo’s decision reflects the importance they place on game creativity and player experience, as well as careful consideration …
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 product pages are leaked
OUR TAKE The Flip 6 boasts a groundbreaking 50MP camera and a larger 4,000 mAh battery, promising extended use. Innovative AI features like real-time translation and intelligent note-taking enhance usability.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened Leaked information suggests that the Samsung Galaxy Z …
Altrove uses AI models and lab automation to create new materials
OUR TAKE The creation of a new material is very complex. When you combine two different chemical elements together, there are thousands of possibilities. When you want to deal with three different elements, there are tens of thousands of combinations. With four elements, you have millions of possibi…
Cloudflare launches tool to combat AI robots
OUR TAKE Due to the booming development of artificial intelligence and the increasing demand for model training data, the problem of AI bots scraping data has become more prominent, and many websites are working to prevent AI scraping and crawling.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened Cloud service …
ChatGPT macOS app updates to eliminate security concerns
OUR TAKE There is a worrying security issue with the pre-update ChatGPT macOS app: If a bad actor or malicious app gets access to your machine, they can easily read your conversations with ChatGPT and the data contained therein.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened ChatGPT macOS app previously relea…
5.5G: A stepping stone from Huawei on the path to 6G
5.5G, bridging 5G and 6G, boosts speed, latency, and connectivity, enabling advanced IoT, smart cities, and real-time remote operations.
A short guide to data collection for AI
The adoption of generative AI and other AI-powered solutions is rapidly growing. Organisations need to collect and harvest large amounts of data, either by themselves or by working with AI data collection services, to successfully leverage these technologies, specifically to train and improve them. …
Why AI can’t replace data analysts
The debate around AI potentially replacing jobs in various sectors has been active for over a decade. However, recent advancements in AI technology, particularly the emergence of generative AI like ChatGPT, raise more significant concerns. These tools offer limitless potential across different indus…
Who is GZTECH? Chinese startup, leader in fibre and solid laser tech
GZTECH was established on May 31, 2018, is located in the heart of China Optics Valley—Wuhan East Lake High-Tech Development Zone.
California takes on Microsoft: $14M payout over employee rights
California Civil Rights Department accused Microsoft of retaliating against California-based employees since 2017.
Volkswagen invests $5 billion in Rivian
OUR TAKE This collaboration reflects the growth and trends of the global electric vehicle market. As a traditional automobile manufacturing giant, Volkswagen has chosen to cooperate with emerging electric vehicle companies, showing its emphasis on electrification transformation and strategic layout.…
What is Captcha and does Google use it to train AI?
Officially, Captcha serves as a robust defense mechanism against automated bots, spam attacks, excessive flooding, and various forms of online mischief. While some may question its technical reliability, particularly in light of evolving AI capabilities that can sometimes circumvent traditional Capt…
China says US targeting of AI harms healthy development
OUR TAKE After President Joe Biden signs an executive order last August, the Treasury Department issues new rules aimed at preventing American technology from helping the Chinese develop advanced technologies and dominate global markets.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened United States restric…
Proton launches a privacy-focused alternative to Google Docs
OUR TAKE Proton is just one of the companies trying to offer privacy-focused alternatives to Google and Microsoft that have so far failed to dent their dominance. If Proton can handle image embedding better than Google, it could be a big hit.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened Proton Docs launches…
Brazil orders Meta to stop training its AI on personal data
OUR TAKE Meta is similarly stymied by European Union regulators, leading the company to suspend plans to train its AI models on Facebook and Instagram posts in Europe. However, Meta’s updated data collection policy is already in effect in the United States, which lacks similar user privacy protectio…
Video generative unicorn Runway is in talks to raise $450M
OUR TAKE Runway, reported last June, raises $141 million from investors including alphabet Inc’s Google and Nvidia Corp at a valuation of $1.5 billion.–Zora Lin, BTW reporter What happened Runway is in talks with investors, including private equity firm General Atlantic, to raise $450 million for th…