No need to sift through the web for crucial stories – we’ve got you covered. Here are the key global technology highlights for December 18, 2023.
1. ByteDance is secretly using OpenAI’s tech to build a competitor
Now mega-company TikTok is so far behind in the generative A.I. race that it has been secretly using OpenAI’s technology to develop its own large language model, known as LLM. This kind of practice in the field of artificial intelligence (ai) is usually considered a does not comply with the rules, it has a direct breach of OpenAI terms of service. (TheVerge)
2. Apple shuts down Flipper Zero’s ability to shut down iPhones
IOS 17. 2 cut off Flipper Zero users running the Xtreme third-party firmware from mass-spamming popups at iPhones. Apple has fixed a bug that allowed Flipper Zero’s device to bombard nearby iphones with pop-up notifications so massively that users’ phones may become unusable and need to be rebooted. (Gizmodo)
3. OpenAI CEO promotes crypto project Worldcoin after fundraising repor
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has doubled down on his vision for cryptocurrency project Worldcoin following reports that the company is seeking $50 million in funding. Worldcoin says its goal is to create a global identity and financial network. (Reuters)
4. China’s iPhone ban accelerates across government and state firms
A growing number of institutions and state-backed companies across China have ordered their employees to stop using iphones and other foreign devices at work, an unprecedented ban that could affect Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. (Bloomberg)
5. South Korea’s LG Chem to invest $820 mln to build battery cathode factory in US
South Korea’s LG Chem Co LTD said on Friday it will invest US $820 million to build a battery cathode materials factory in Tennessee to meet growing demand for electric vehicle (EV) components. (The star)
6. Google to test new feature limiting advertisers’ use of browser tracking cookies
Google Inc said on Thursday it would begin testing a new feature on its Chrome browser as part of a plan to ban third-party cookies used by advertisers to track consumers, while preparing to stop using third-party cookies for users altogether in the second half of 2024. (Reuters)
7. Founder of China AI software developer SenseTime, Tang Xiaoou, dies
Tang Xiaoou, founder of Sensetime Technology Group (0020.HK), one of China’s largest artificial intelligence companies, died late on Friday. (Reuters)
8. OpenAI to Pay Axel Springer Tens of Millions to Use News Content
Chatgpt maker OpenAI has agreed to pay Axel Springer tens of millions of euros for the right to use the media giant’s news articles and content to build its artificial intelligence system.Under the deal, SAN Francisco-based OpenAI will use articles and other content from Axel Springer publications, including Politico, Business Insider,And the European newspapers Bild and Die Welt to develop their A.I. models. (Yahoo Finance)
9. Saudi shopping and BNPL platform Tamara tops $1B valuation in $340M Series C funding
Tamara, a buy now pay later platform for consumers in Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC region, has raised $340 million in a financing round that values the fintech at $1 billion. (TechCrunch)
10. The secret sauce for Taiwan’s chip superstardom
How an island that exported t-shirts and sugar turned into the world’s largest silicon chip factory. (BBC)
