Briefing Desk
Latest Briefings
Concise reporting on the developments shaping internet governance and infrastructure. Browse each area for recent news, context and watchpoints.
FTX announces sale of 41M solana tokens at 68% discount
The bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX plans to sell its remaining 41 million solana tokens to institutional investors for about $60 each.
US may soon release list of Chinese chip factories banned from receiving technology
The U.S. is working on a list of advanced Chinese chip-making plants that are banned from receiving critical tools so that companies can more easily stop the flow of technology into China. Restricted List The Commerce Department in 2022 barred U.S. companies from shipping equipment to Chinese factor…
Visa launches AI-powered fraud prevention tools
Visa has added a trio of AI-powered risk and fraud prevention tools to its suite of products for businesses. VDA is a tool that depends on AI to combat fraud The new AI-powered fraud prevention tools are a part of the Visa Protect suite and are designed to reduce fraud across immediate account-to-ac…
Banks told to expand risk management to cover AI
A report from the US Treasury has called on banks to bolster their risk management frameworks to avoid being overwhelmed by AI-powered fraudsters and cybercriminals. Cybersecurity concerns are raising The report, which was the result of an executive order issued by Joe Biden in 2023, interviewed 42 …
Coinme’s new cash-to-crypto feature simplifies crypto transactions
Coinme introduces a cash-to-crypto experience, enabling swift conversion of cash into cryptocurrency directly within the Coinme wallet.
Quectel unveils advanced 5G, GNSS, and combo antennas
Quectel Wireless Solutions, a global IoT solutions provider, has made further additions to its comprehensive range of antennas for IoT devices and deployments. New 5G antenna offerings Quectel Wireless Solutions has recently unveiled an array of advanced antenna products, including the YEMN016AA and…
Huawei posts 9.63% rebound in sales for 2023
Huawei Technologies reported a rebound in sales growth in 2023, with revenues rising 9.63% to 704.2 billion yuan (US$97 billion) in 2023, boosted by its high-end 5G products in the Mate 60 series. Profit of the year Net profit for the year was 87 billion yuan, up 144.5% year-on-year, partly due to …
Top tech news stories today: March 29, 2024
Fallen ‘Crypto King’ Sam Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraud, MoneyGram teams up with Saudi fintech barraq and other tech news.
Six-fold surge in Data Centre power consumption over next decade
The National Grid has projected that the flourishment of AI and quantum computing will lead to a possible six-fold increase in energy use, marking a pivotal moment for transformation. Rising energy demand and grid transformation The National Grid anticipates a surge in energy consumption driven by t…
Future PCs will run Microsoft’s Copilot AI locally, says Intel
Microsoft’s Copilot AI could soon run locally on PCs, using neural processing units capable of exceeding 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Intel expects these AI-enabled PCs to handle more elements of Copilot directly, potentially boosting performance and privacy by reducing delays caused by…
Using virtual reality to help Parkinson’s patients
Parkinson’s UK is promoting the use of virtual reality headsets to alleviate symptoms of the condition, including tremors, balance issues, and slow and stiff movements, by stimulating the body with adrenaline and dopamine. Jumping back in time Retired lecturer Keith Wilson, who was diagnosed with Pa…
Web3 ad service Everyworld reaches 225K users within a month
Everywolrd, an ad service launched by Web3 obtains over 225K users in a month, even though still in the testing stage. About Everyworld Web3 advertising service platform Everyworld has reached a total user of 225,000 as of March 28. According to a press release from Everyworld, this milestone occurr…
Westpac announces multibillion tech innovation
Australian bank Westpac is planning to spend billions of dollars over the next four years to simplify its technology infrastructure. About the project Westpac has pledged to devote 30% of its annual budget for the next four years to upgrading its tech. The move is part of Project Unite, 85 separate …
MoneyGram collaborates with Saudi fintech barraq
MoneyGram International, Inc. (“MoneyGram” or the “Company”), a global financial technology company that connects the world’s communities, announced a strategic partnership with the innovative financial technology app barraq. The partnership makes the global remittance easier Through the partnership…
Sam Bankman-Fried faces a maximum sentence of over 100 years
Four months after the conviction of Sam Bankman-Fried’s all seven crimes, he will know the final sentence soon. A letter about FXT fraud appears to the Department of Justice In a letter to the Department of Justice, a Futures Exchange (FTX) customer who lost $4 million when the exchange filed for ba…
Fighting Back Against Internet Shutdowns in Zimbabwe
OUR TAKE:Governments often mistakenly believe that shutting down the Internet can quell unrest, stop the spread of misinformation, reduce the harm of cybersecurity threats, or, as in the case of exam-related shutdowns in Algeria and Iraq, curb cheating.But shutdowns are highly disruptive to economic…
LinkedIn launches a TikTok-like video feed
New feature alert LinkedIn is in the process of trialing a new feature resembling the short-form video functionality of TikTok, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Wednesday. This latest experiment sees LinkedIn join the ranks of numerous other mainstream apps that have introduced their own short…
Short sellers target Reddit shares as stock slips
Data from analytics company Ortex on Wednesday showed shares of the social media forum Reddit have attracted a large number of short-selling bets on the site in the first few days after its IPO. Reddit’s stock sells out in bulk Based on 2.15 million Reddit shares out on loan, at least 7.1% of the co…
BlackRock’s ETF surges over $17B surprising its CEO
BlackRock’s CEO Larry Fink says he’s been “pleasantly surprised” at the level of retail demand for his firm’s spot Bitcoin ETF. BlackRock CEO ’very bullish’ on Bitcoin BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has been “pleasantly surprised” by the performance of his firm’s spot bitcoin ETF and reiterated that he is…
HSB launches Cyber for Auto to cover car and truck cyber threats
HSB, a Munich Re subsidiary, has unveiled Cyber for Auto, a new coverage tailored to protect against cyber threats targeting personal cars and trucks. Cyber threats targeting personal cars and trucks increased The coverage has been designed to address the escalating threat of cyber-attacks on person…
Binarly secures $10.5m to bolster software supply chain security efforts
Binarly, an LA-based startup with a focus on firmware and software supply chain security, has secured $10.5m in venture capital funding. Binarly renowned itself within the vulnerability research field Binarly’s core business is pioneering the development of an AI-driven solution designed to help sec…
Valeo embraces Google Cloud and AI to drive automotive innovation
French auto parts manufacturer Valeo announced on Thursday its strategic decision to increase its utilisation of advanced AI technologies.
Amazon loses court case to suspend EU tech rules’ ad clause
On March 27 in Brussels, Amazon sided with EU regulators at Europe’s highest court, saying the EU’s interests outweighed the US online retailer’s material interests. It lost its battle to get a stay on EU tech regulations for its online advertising requirements. Why CJEU rejected Under the Digital S…
Xiaomi enters EV market amid China auto industry challenges
Xiaomi’s foray into Electric Vehicles On Thursday, China’s Xiaomi is slated to unveil its highly awaited electric vehicle (EV), disclose its pricing, and commence order intake, signifying the electronics firm’s foray into the automotive realm. Xiaomi CEO teases price on upcoming SU7 elect…
Amazon adds $2.75 billion investment to AI company Anthropic
Amazon injects $2.75 billion into Anthropic, leveraging its Trainium and Inferentia chips to advance generative AI on AWS cloud.
GLAAD report says Meta allows anti-trans hate to ‘flourish’ on its platforms
GLAAD’s report exposes Meta’s failure to curb anti-transgender posts, raising concerns over LGBTQ+ safety on its platforms.
What’s new in the podcast world?
The podcast world is embracing new changes. Neurobiology professor Andrew Huberman, also a controversial podcast host His own podcast, Huberman Lab, launched in 2021, has become wildly successful, ranking in the top 15 podcasts on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and having the fifth-highest reach globall…
Amazon fined $7.8m by Polish consumer regulator
E-commerce giant Amazon has been hit with a hefty fine of 31 million zlotys (US$7.8 million) by Poland’s consumer protection watchdog, UOKiK, for deceptive practices related to product availability and delivery commitments. Amazon offers misleading dates “The average consumer has the right to assume…
US offers $10 million bounty for information on ‘Blackcat’ hackers
The State Department announced Wednesday it would provide a $10 million reward for information about the Blackcat ransomware group that hacked UnitedHealth Group in February. The cyberattack Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that manages payment systems for most of the hospitals …
Europe sells flying car technology to China
Klein Vision, a Slovakian company that created the AirCar, sold the exclusive rights to manufacture and use the aircraft within a “specific geographical region” of China to Hebei Jianxin Flying Car Technology Company. Information about the AirCar The AirCar, powered by a BMW engine and regular fuel,…
Century Health: Startup uses AI to find hidden signals in health data
Century Health has won $2 million in funding to tap AI to give pharma access to good patient data. This innovative action aims to unlock a better feedback loop and ultimately faster and more efficient drug development and commercialisation. Century Health integrates AI into drug development The new …
IPv6 over networks of resource-constrained nodes
On March 22, 2024, L. Iannone, a researcher at Huawei Technologies France, presented a new approach called Path-Aware Semantic Addressing (PASA) for improving Internet connections in networks with limited resources. He confirmed that the main technical details have remained consistent in recent upda…
MLCommons sets new AI benchmark tests measuring speed
On Wednesday, MLCommons sets new AI benchmark tests to measure response speed to users’ queries, in an effort to improve efficiency. New AI benchmark tests by MLCommons On Wednesday, AI benchmark group MLCommons sets a series of tests and releases multiple results to evaluate the speed and efficienc…
French fintech Tempo to use DeFi instead of remittances
Tempo, a French fintech, claims that it is the first fintech in the money transfer market to suspend classical remittances to focus exclusively on DeFi. Tempo is planning its business payment services innovation According to Tempo, the time has come to give priority to the development of “radically …
RIPE NCC General Meeting 2024 scheduled for May 22
The RIPE NCC General Meeting 2024, serves as a forum for members to dive into discussions vital to the organisation’s operations.
Sam Bankman-Fried sentencing: Faces 50 years, hopes for 5
Prosecutors seek a 40-50 year jail term for FTX creator Sam Bankman-Fried, while the defense urges a 90% reduction in sentence.
Top tech news stories today: March 28, 2024
Explore tech headlines featuring industry giants like Meta, Apple, and AMD. Stay informed on legal battles, shifts and industry advancements.
Cloudflare’s creative tools to automate hardware maintenance
Cloudflare’s Phoenix Automates Server Diagnostics Cloudflare has introduced its approach to maintaining millions of servers worldwide, including the introduction of the concept of an “error budget” to incorporate empathy into automation. They developed the Phoenix tool to automatically detect and re…
The IoT Community launches GenAIoT for enterprise applications
The origin of the GenAIoT buzzword The emergence of innovative terminology often arouses a sense of intrigue, and in this instance, there is an expectation that this new expression will provide an overarching structure for a range of concepts and advancements designed to improve the hands-on impleme…
Micron Technology opens plant in China to consolidate business
Micron held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new factory in Xi’an, showing the company will strengthen its collaboration with the local supplier ecosystem in China. Business in China As mentioned by Sanjay Mehrotra, president and CEO of Micron, the US company has been continuously investing in the …
Over $1B in US Treasurys have now been tokenized on-chain
The new milestone was reached shortly after the launch of BlackRock’s first tokenized asset fund — BUIDL, which joined 16 other tokenized government securities funds last week. About BUIDL More than $1 billion worth of United States Treasurys now exist across Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, and other blo…
China will host a forum next month to promote the digital economy
China will host a forum next month to promote its digital economy growth model and foster the development of digital infrastructure in the Belt and Road Initiative partner countries. The Digital Silk Road Development Forum The Digital Silk Road Development Forum of the World Internet Conference will…
Apple is losing its competitiveness in China market
Apple’s iPhone shipments in China fell by about one-third in February from a year ago, official data released on Tuesday showed, suggesting that Apple is confronting. Tim Cook in Shanghai Apple chief executive Tim Cook visited Shanghai last week. This visit is seen as an effort to improve relations …
After the collapse: FTX trys to compensate by selling shares
Selling stakes FTX has agreed to sell its 29.4 million shares of the AI developer Anthropic, valued at $884,109,327, to repay losses. The sale was approved by U.S. Federal Judge John Dorsey, with various entities, including ATIC Third International Investment Company and Jane Street Global Trading. …
Hyundai Motor plans to invest 6.8 billion won to accelerate EV development
The KRW 68 trillion investment plan will enable Hyundai Motor Company to accelerate its shift to sustainable and clean energy technologies and its entry into the electric mobility market. In addition, the new recruits will help the company enhance its R&D capabilities, expand its production capacity…
RelyComply integrates AI into KYC, redeeming its weakness
In the dynamic environment of anti-money laundering (AML) efforts, financial institutions are facing increasing scrutiny in response to increasingly sophisticated criminal techniques and stringent regulatory requirements. pKYC is innovated with AI raising the accuracy Recently, RelyComply, an intell…
Nissan’s “The Arc”plan: 16 electric cars expected to be produced
Nissan announced a business plan called “The Arc” on Monday, March 25th local time. This plan is positioned as a bridge between Nissan NEXT’s corporate transformation plan (from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal year 2023) and Nissan’s ambitious 2030 vision (Nissan’s long-term vision), with 30 cars to be l…
Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2024 announced for June 10
Apple has announced, as expected, that its WWDC 2024 event will be a live event on 10 June at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. Artificial intelligence will be a major focus of the event. What we expect to know WWDC is typically the place where Apple talks up its upcoming software releases, so th…
The Near Foundation reveals the protocol enabling chain signatures
Near is the chain abstraction stack, empowering builders to create apps that scale to billions of users across all blockchains. The new protocol enabling chain signatures aims to solve the complexities inherent in a multichain ecosystem to streamline the user experience. Protocol enabling chain sign…
Alibaba drops Hong Kong IPO plan for logistics unit Cainiao
Alibaba Group Holding has decided to withdraw the initial public offering (IPO) of its Hong Kong logistics business, Cainiao, and has offered to buy all remaining shares in the unit. Alibaba’s big change The Hangzhou-based e-commerce giant said in a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday …