No need to sift through the web for crucial stories – we’ve got you covered. Here are the key global technology highlights for January 30, 2024.
1. OpenAI’s ChatGPT breaches privacy rules, says Italian watchdog
Italy’s privacy watchdog said on Monday it had notified OpenAl that its ChatGPT method of collecting user data violated European Union privacy laws. In a statement seen by euronewsnext, the Italian agency said it had “concluded that the available evidence points to a violation of the provisions of the EU GDPR”. OpenAl may file a counterclaim for alleged violations within 30 days.” (Euro News)
2. Pentagon plans AI-based program to estimate prices for critical minerals
The Pentagon plans to develop a program to estimate prices and supplies of nickel, cobalt and other key minerals, a move aimed at increasing transparency but one that has introduced a new and uncertain element to global metals markets. The program received little attention after it was announced on the Pentagon’s website last October.However, the official standard used by the US government to estimate the price of a particular metal could create confusion in the metals market by creating a competitive structure in determining prices, according to two sources who were not authorised to speak publicly. (Business Live)
3. China approves over 40 AI models for public use in past six months
China approved more than 40 artificial intelligence (AI) models for public use in the first six months since authorities began the approval process, Chinese media reported, as the country strives to catch up with AI development in the United States.It highlights China’s approach to developing AI technology while striving to bring it under its scope and control. (CNA)
4. Satya Nadella says the explicit Taylor Swift AI fakes are ‘alarming and terrible’
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has responded to the controversy over an artificial intelligence-created fake pornographic photo of Taylor Swift. In an interview with NBC Nightly News that will air next Tuesday, Nadella called the surge in non-consensual simulated nudity “alarming and scary.” Media reports indicate that the images are from a telegram based non-consensual pornographer-making community that recommends using Microsoft Designer image generator. (The Verge)
5. Stolen crypto worth $674M successfully recovered in 2023
Blockchain security firm PeckShield has released data summarizing the losses caused by hacks and scams in 2023. For the full year, it lost $2.61 billion, excluding losses at multiple chains, according to the company.In its Jan. 29 report, PeckShield noted that this figure represents a 27.78 percent decrease compared to 2022, when global cybertheft totaled about $3.6 billion. (Coin Telegraph)
6. Amazon abandons $1.4 billion deal to buy Roomba maker iRobot
Amazon’s deal to buy Roomba maker iRobot was called off after the company said there was “no path to EU regulatory approval” for the deal. iRobot also announced that it will lay off about 350 employees, or about 31 percent of its workforce, as part of its restructuring. The company expects to notify most of the affected employees by the end of March. iRobot Chairman and CEO Colin Angle, who co-founded the company in 1990, will step down from both positions, the statement said. (The Verge)
7. Microsoft set for AI-powered revenue surge as stock pulls ahead
Microsoft expects quarterly revenue to rise 15.8 per cent, its best growth in nearly two years, as more people adopt products with generative AI, driving demand for its cloud services. Thanks to its lead in artificial intelligence, Microsoft is likely to cement its lead as the largest company by market capitalization this year. Analysts at Visible Alpha expect Azure to grow 27.7 percent. (Reuters)
8. Zoom meetings are about to get weirder thanks to the Vision Pro
Zoom’s Vision Pro app will launch with Apple’s new headset on February 2 and will allow wearers to use their “personas” during video calls. The product will also take advantage of the Vision Pro’s augmented reality capabilities, allowing it to blend into the user’s physical environment while appearing as a floating window. These features will be released with the headset on Friday, February 2. (The Verge)
9. Fossil is quitting smartwatches
The company announced this afternoon that it will exit the smartwatch business and instead redirect resources to less smart products.The company has been one of the most prolific makers of Wear OS smartwatches for years, and its absence will leave a big void in the market.”We made a strategic decision to exit the smartwatch business because the space has changed significantly over the last few years,” Fossil executive vice president and chief operating Officer Jeff Boyer told the Verge. (The Verge)
10. Survey: Half of UK consumers expect to increase green behaviours in next five years
The latest survey results show that the vast majority (92%) of UK consumers want to increase their green habits and consumption choices over the next five years by adopting clean technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps and solar panels, despite seeing barriers to adoption.
But the survey, conducted by pollsters Opinium Research, also found that 50 percent want to add more sustainable strings to the bow, while only 4 percent said they want to reduce their current green practices. (Business Green)
