The lawsuit claimed that some of its iPhones and smartwatches unintentionally activated Siri and recorded users’ conversations, sharing the audio with third-party advertisers.

Voice-activated assistants react when people use “hot words” such as “Hey, Siri”, or for Amazon’s Alexa, simply: “Alexa”.

Two plaintiffs said that they received ads for Air Jordan shoes and Olive Garden restaurants after talking about them in what they thought were confidential conversations.

Another said that after a private conversation with his doctor about a brand-name surgical treatment, he began seeing ads for the same treatment.

They claimed to have not used the phrase “Hey, Siri” to wake Apple’s voice assistant.

Allegedly, advertisers who received the recordings could then search for keywords in order to target ads.

The class period for the lawsuit covers from September 17, 2014, through December 31, 2024, starting from when Apple introduced the “Hey, Siri” feature, which plaintiffs allege led to unauthorised voice recordings.

Apple has proposed a decision date of February 14. If successful, tens of millions of people could receive up to $20 per Siri-equipped device.

As noted by Reuters, $95 million is about nine hours of profit for Apple, highlighting that such lawsuits come as a business cost for big tech companies.

Apple has explicitly denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle, as well as claims that it “recorded, disclosed to third parties, or failed to delete, conversations recorded as the result of a Siri activation” without consent.

The post Apple to pay $95 million settlement over Siri “listening” to conversations appeared first on TechInformed.

Elon Musk has been handed a job in Donald Trump’s incoming US administration, with the tech billionaire set to lead the newly created Department of Governmental Efficiency.

Musk – alongside fellow Trump campaigner Vivek Ramaswamy – will work alongside Trump and the Office of Management and Budget to “provide advice and guidance from outside of government,” looking for ways to “dismantle” bureaucracy, “slash” regulations, “cut” spending and “restructure” agencies, the incoming President said in a statement on Tuesday.

Musk is one of the world’s richest men, owning the likes of Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X. He was an active campaigner for Trump during his election campaign.

DOGEcoin is also the name of Musk’s cryptocurrency.

AWS partners up to expand its AI Innovation Centre

Amazon Web Services has launched a Generative AI Partner Innovation Alliance to help scale and expand the reach of its AI hub, called the Generative AI Innovation Center.

The alliance will initially launch with nine partners bringing industry and ‘region-specific’ expertise, including Booz Allen Hamilton, Crayon, Escala24x7, Megazone Cloud, NCS Group, and Quanitphi.

Initially launched in June 2023, the Innovation Centre connects customers with AWS AI and machine learning scientists and strategists to help companies envision and develop generative AI solutions.

According to AWS since its inception, the centre has helped customers including DoorDash, Nasdaq, the PGA TOUR adopt generative AI proof-of-concept solutions, half of which are now in production.

Read more…

Cryptovillian Sterlingov gets prison sentence for dark web money laundering

The operator of the longest-running money laundering machine in dark web history has been handed a 12-and-a-half-year prison sentence in the US.

Roman Sterlingov, 36, a Russian-Swedish national, was also ordered to repay more than half a billion dollars accrued from the cryptocurrency ‘mixing service’ Bitcoin Fog that he ran for a decade between 2011 and 2021.

“Roman Sterlingov laundered over $400 million in criminal proceeds through Bitcoin Fog that was open for business to criminals looking to hide dirty money,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Bitcoin Fog was assessed to have processed 1.2 million Bitcoin during that time, worth roughly $400 million. Of this, Sterlingov was ordered to repay $395,563,025.39 in restitution, forfeit roughly $1.76 million in seized assets, and relinquish control of Bitcoin Fog’s wallet containing more than $100 million in Bitcoin.

He was found guilty back in March 2024.

Read more…

Twitter rival Bluesky soars by 700,000

Bluesky COO Rose Wang has confirmed a surge in new users to the decentralised social media app which many view as an alternative to X, formerly Twitter, and Meta’s Threads.

700,000 new users joined in the last week, up from 26,000 the previous week, in what is seen as a reaction to X owner Elon Musk’s role in the US election.

The platform, created by Jack Dorsey, the former CEO of Twitter, now has 14.5 million users. The “majority” of the new users on the social network are from the US, said Wang. The app is currently the number two free social networking app in the US App Store, trailing Meta’s Threads with 275 million users.

Read more…

Channel 4 launches app on Apple Vision Pro

British PSB Channel 4 has become the first UK broadcaster to launch content on the Apple Vision Pro headset.

Content on the C4 app is now viewable in cinema-style overlaid onto viewers’ real-life environments, such as living room walls. Apple Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset that combines virtual reality and augmented reality, allowing users to immerse themselves in virtual environments or add an AR layer to their real-world surroundings.

Users of the Channel 4 app will be transported to the set of gameshow Taskmaster with the app on Apple Vision Pro creating the feeling of being immersed in the show itself.

Grace Boswood, director of technology & distribution, Channel 4, said: “As we transition to become a public service streamer, we’re constantly exploring new ways to entertain viewers and engage advertisers through technology which creates remarkable experiences.”

The Apple Vision Pro is groundbreaking, but expensive with headsets retailing around $4450 or £3500.

Read more…

AWS to offer free computing to popularise AI chips

Amazon Web Services has said it will offer free computing power to researchers who want to use its custom artificial intelligence chips, with the aim of challenging Nvidia’s popularity.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) said it will offer credits to use its cloud data centres to researchers who want to tap Trainium, its chip for developing artificial intelligence models that competes with chips from Nvidia, as well as Advanced Micro Devices and Alphabet’s cloud division.

AWS said researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of California, Berkeley, are taking part in the program. The company plans to make 40,000 of the first-generation Trainium chips available for the program.

AWS is hoping to generate headlines with the chip, which unlike Nvidia chips, users will be able to programme directly. To program Nvidia’s chips, most AI developers use what is called Cuda, Nvidia’s flagship software, but AWS plans to publish information and let customers program the chip directly and more cost-effectively.

Read more…

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Released ahead of COP29, the report reveals how platforms, including Meta, YouTube, and X, amplify misleading narratives that deny climate science and undermine renewable energy.

“It is virtually certain that 2024 will be the hottest year on record, and extreme weather has again wreaked havoc around the world,” Kate Cell, a Union of Concerned Scientists member, explained.

“As this report shows, the fossil fuel industry and its political allies are wielding climate disinformation to maintain their profits and lock the world’s people into an increasingly dangerous future,” she said.

Climate denial goes viral

CAAD’s report, titled “Extreme Weather, Extreme Content: How Big Tech Enables Climate Disinformation,” identifies multiple myths shared across social media.

These narratives are often driven by accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers, including influencers and political figures, with some posts amassing millions of views.

The report highlights frequently used tactics, such as using short videos of isolated incidents to question the reliability of wind turbines and solar panels.

Another common theme is “wokewashing,” where climate-sceptic accounts use environmental or human rights concerns to discredit renewables, particularly electric vehicles (EVs).

Conspiracies and Greenwashing

The report’s first case study focuses on disinformation targeting renewables, which has become more organised and consistent.

Misinformation surrounding wind, solar, and EVs claims these technologies are too costly, unreliable, and environmentally harmful. Conspiracy theories like the so-called “Climate Lockdown” falsely depict renewable policies as a form of social control.

Another case study examines how extreme weather events, particularly wildfires, are misrepresented.

In 2023 and 2024, posts on X, YouTube, and TikTok falsely claimed that wildfires in Greece, Canada, and the Amazon were intentionally started, using fringe theories about “Direct Energy Weapons” or elite plots to seize land.

Big Tech profits from fossil fuel ad spend

The final case study in CAAD’s report explores fossil fuel advertising on social media.

Between October 2023 and October 2024, fossil fuel companies and industry groups spent an estimated $17.6 million on Meta’s platforms, generating 700 million impressions.

CAAD claims that many of these adverts “greenwash” fossil fuel industries, portraying them as essential for a low-carbon future.

These ads often fall outside the “Social Issues, Elections, or Politics” category, meaning they may escape the scrutiny applied to political ads.

In some cases, CAAD found that fossil fuel companies promoted carbon capture, natural gas, and other technologies as clean energy solutions despite experts’ doubts about their effectiveness.

Can technology help tackle greenwashing?

Super-spreader accounts drive viral narratives

The role of “super-spreader” accounts is another key finding in the report. High-profile influencers and commentators with large followings drive many of the most viewed and shared anti-climate posts.

Some of the most active accounts include political commentator Peter Sweden and Reform UK MP Richard Tice, whose posts criticising renewables have garnered hundreds of thousands of views.

Accounts like these often link renewables to cost-of-living issues and portray environmental policies as elitist.

According to CAAD, some accounts strategically recycle content, resharing similar narratives to ensure misinformation remains visible in online discourse.

Posts often use sensational claims, such as framing wind turbines as “dangerous” to wildlife, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.

Lack of accountability fuels the spread of climate lies

CAAD’s findings raise urgent questions about Big Tech’s role in spreading harmful narratives. While some platforms have implemented content moderation practices, the report finds these measures inadequate for tackling the scale of disinformation.

The report also links disinformation with real-world violence. False claims, like the conspiracy theories surrounding wildfires in Canada and the US, have incited threats against emergency responders and stoked fears of government conspiracies.

This atmosphere of distrust complicates disaster response, reduces public cooperation, and distracts from the real drivers of extreme weather events.

As world leaders prepare for COP28, CAAD’s report suggests if platforms don’t limit the spread of climate disinformation, efforts to combat the climate crisis will remain undermined.

“For the third year running, CAAD has documented millions of dollars of fossil fuel advertising around COP,” said CAAD Intelligence Unit Coordinator Sean Buchan.

“While the world meets to try to keep the Paris Agreement promise, the fossil fuel industry pollutes the information ecosystem to cloud our minds. A fossil fuel ad ban is imperative to protect public health and accelerate climate action.”

The post Big Tech enables climate disinformation, report finds appeared first on TechInformed.

There is no doubt that one Big Tech titan is already a big winner from Donald Trump’s election Presidential election victory — Elon Musk’s currency is literally and metaphorically riding high at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s Florida base, where he is planning his transition to power.

But what about other Big Tech leaders? Google’s Sundar Pichai, Apple’s Tim Cook, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg were all seen cosying up to Trump during the election campaign, but it remains to be seen how Trump will handle the growing power and influence of Big Tech.

Meanwhile, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos came under fire after the newspaper he owns — the Washington Post — opted not to endorse Trump or his rival Kamala Harris, on the same day the billionaire met with the incoming President to discuss business.

Says Bill Whyman, tech industry expert and former senior manager at Amazon Web Services: “What do we know about Trump from his first presidency is that he showed a willingness to disregard conventional wisdom and at times overruled the advice of his own experts. Which creates more uncertainty and unpredictability.”

From antitrust to tariffs

So, what do we know? Trump has an increasingly close relationship with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, with Musk likely to exert considerable influence on how Trump’s relationship with Big Tech evolves.

So far, Trump has said he’ll make drastic reforms to the entire federal government, and he has discussed granting Musk huge power over agencies which regulate his and other tech companies.

Trump will take office with a series of antitrust cases underway, challenging the market power of several big tech firms, headed by the anti-monopoly chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan.

Many expect Khan to make way for another head of the FTC and for the antitrust actions against players such as Google and Microsoft, which characterised the Biden administration, to take more of a back seat.

Trump will focus more on Big Tech’s contribution to the US economy. Still, that contribution could be hugely affected by one of Trump’s favourite themes of the election campaign — tariffs.

Trump and Musk rank as most deepfaked figures ahead of 2024 US election

He’s threatened to slap China with 60-100% tariffs on goods, and the prospect of a global trade war looms — a trade war that neither Big Tech nor the US consumer will appreciate as it’s likely to re-stoke inflationary pressure on the economy.

Undoubtedly, Big Tech, Apple, and Tesla, especially, have a lot riding on continued access to the Chinese market and supply chains.

Apple’s manufacturing relies heavily on Chinese facilities, while Tesla counts China as one of its fastest-growing markets.

Any downturn in US-China relations under Trump could trigger a backlash that might slow demand and disrupt production.

Anyone interested in Trump’s approach to US-China relations is looking at the situation with TikTok; the social platform must find a foreign buyer for its Chinese owner or risk being banned from the USA.

He could leave the current administration’s decision to force owner ByteDance to sell in place or use it as a bargaining chip with the Chinese government, a move that would fit in well with his reputation as a dealmaker.

“What happens with TikTok will be a good guideline as to what might be expected over the next four years,” says lead technology analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, Dexter Thillien.

Lighter regulation

One subject that is much more predictable is regulation, which is expected to be much lighter under Trump. AI, in particular, is one area which is expected to benefit from less top-down regulation.

Silicon Valley venture capitalists Mark Andreessen and Ben Horowitz each donated $2.5 million to the Trump campaign, and Andreessen — historically a strong supporter of the Democrats — switched to Trump in this election because he disagreed with White House plans to “over-regulate” AI, a move which Andreessen insists will stifle innovation.

A top-down heavier regulatory approach certainly can favour the market power of existing Big Tech players because – unlike the start-ups – they have the resources and expertise to deal with it, says Bill Whyman.

He’ll likely push for a deregulatory approach in isolation, focussed on competition with China and less on protecting citizens’ values and rights.

This will contrast the EU and UK approaches, which are more interventionist. For instance, the EU’s AI Act has already created a clear framework for the future regulation of the industry.

Another sector set to benefit in the deregulatory world of Trump 2.0 will be crypto.

Previously a cryptocurrency sceptic, Trump is now its biggest fan, no doubt partly down to the influence of crypto and Dogecoin-enthusiast Elon Musk.

The crypto industry hopes that after big donations to the Trump campaign, the regulatory hurdles holding back the cryptocurrency revolution will ease up.

Trump has even suggested that crypto might help pay off the US’s increasing pile of government debt. But as they say, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

The post What does Big Tech stand to gain or lose under a second Trump presidency? appeared first on TechInformed.

Political leaders across the country have unanimously backed the plan, which would apply to social media platforms such as X, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.

The country is set to introduce legislation in weeks, which would lead to a ban a year later, giving platforms time to devise plans for excluding children.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “Social media is doing social harm to our young Australians. The safety and mental health of our young people has to be a priority.”

Opponents of the plan included more than 140 academics with expertise in related fields who signed an open letter to Albanese last month which said that a social media age limit was “too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.”

Critics say most teenagers are tech-savvy enough to get around age verification, and a ban overlooks the beneficial side of social media platforms, which provide useful information to kids for whom the channels have become the main way to get information.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said that stronger tools in app stores and operating systems for parents to control what apps their children can use would be a “simple and effective solution.”

TikTok pledges to fight US ban – Apple “to reduce” Vision Pro production

Instagram has already introduced tougher rules for teenage users of the platform.

Teen accounts were introduced last month in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia. This restricts access to algorithms that can deliver unsuitable content and access to teen accounts unless followers have been individually approved.

In the US, the Senate has passed the Kids Online Safety Act, which intends to create a duty of care requiring platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent harm to minor users, including limiting addictive features and offering the ability to opt out of personalised algorithmic recommendations, said Lucy Blake, partner at law firm Jenner & Block.

Monika Sobiecki, Media Law Partner at Bindmans, warned that teenagers could easily evade the bans. “The restrictions rely upon social media companies being able to implement age verification technologies,” said Sobiecki.

“We have yet to see effective technological measures that protect children’s privacy and are not trivially evaded by determined teens.

“The laws fail to tackle the underlying problems with social media platforms, which is that they are built on addictive algorithms designed to maximise user engagement and the targeting of advertising to generate revenues.

“The laws are an empty gesture if they are not accompanied by proposals for more systemic change — for example, a parallel version of the platform for children, potentially on a paid-for subscription model.”

Blake added: “Content moderation and platform governance decisions require a complex and fine balance between users’ rights to free speech, privacy, and safety.”

Read more: TikTok pledges to fight US ban

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Google is the latest Big Tech player to signal a move into nuclear power to meet the growing need for carbon-free energy to power the explosion of data centre growth.

In a recent interview with Nikkei Asia, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said that Google’s carbon emissions had risen by 48% since 2019, fuelled largely by the expansion of AI-related data usage.

He added that the company was investigating the possibility of harnessing power from small modular nuclear reactors to enable it to meet its plans to be net zero by 2030.

Google’s move follows a series of announcements from technology giants about leveraging nuclear power to meet their projected energy demands.

Earlier this year, Amazon revealed that its cloud service subsidiary, Amazon Web Services, had bought a nuclear-powered data centre in Pennsylvania to enable it to reach net zero by 2040.

Microsoft stepped into nuclear with its project to reactivate the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania, which had been producing energy until 2019 when its former owner shut the loss-making operation.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has signalled that nuclear is a good option to meet the AI company’s growing data centre needs.

Why nuclear energy is key for AI data centre sustainability

Carbon-free power sources have become more critical as the companies have come under a barrage of criticism for greenwashing and under-reporting energy usage by data centres. The concern is that expanding data centre energy consumption is jeopardising big tech companies’ sustainability plans.

According to International Energy Agency research, data centres are hugely energy-intensive operations, accounting for 1-1.5% of global electricity demand.

Data centre energy use is expected to double by 2026, with the IEA revealing earlier this year that data centre energy consumption reached 460TWh in 2022 and could rise to over 1,000 TWh by 2026, driven by fast-rising AI and cryptocurrency workloads.

Megatech leaders have recently been scrambling to find alternative power sources for data centres, from nuclear to solar and geothermal power. Pichai confirmed that the company was looking to expand traditional renewables.

Going nuclear: Digital Transformation at EDF’s Hinkley Point C

However, he underlined the importance of nuclear energy, a reliable source not subject to the same peaks and troughs of supply as some renewables.

Although Google’s Pichai didn’t detail where the nuclear sources would be based, it’s understood that the US and Japan would be most likely.

Google’s global head of data centre energy, Amanda Peterson Corio, has also indicated that the company is looking carefully at nuclear options, telling Bloomberg:

“In the US, in highly regulated markets where we don’t have the opportunity to directly purchase power, we are working with our utility partners and the generators to come together to figure out how we can bring these new technologies — nuclear may be one of them — to the grid.”

Read more: The Rolls-Royce of use cases: quantum computing applications in industry

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The report comes from web data collection platform Smartproxy, which has analysed millions of unique data requests made by users of its API scraping solutions over the past year. The firm has not released the total number of users who scraped a particular target, however, as it says, these figures are treated as internal data only.

According Smartproxy’s report, Google is the most scraped web platform request, with users largely collecting data for SEO analysis, keyword research, content optimisation, and market trend tracking.

Extracting data from a website is usually done using an API transfer or an automatic ‘data scraping’ program that harvests content and data from the website over the Internet.

While the latter, in some cases, has proven controversial — particularly concerning training LLMs for chatbots such as ChatGPT — Smartproxy’s report comprises data gathered via API users.

According to the firm, the results show that in 2023 and 2024 Q1, search engines comprised over 42% of all scraping API requests.

The most scraped Google categories are Search, Travel, Shopping (search, product, pricing), Images, and Ads.

Fellow search engine Bing, from Microsoft, attracts 1.2 billion visitors monthly and has reached sixth place on Smartproxy’s most scraped list.

The post Top 10 most scraped websites revealed: Google, Amazon, Tripadvisor top list appeared first on TechInformed.

Google’s greenhouse gas emissions surged by 48% from 2019 to 2023, mainly due to the heightened energy demands of AI-powered data centres.

These centres require significantly more electricity than standard online activities, raising concerns about AI’s environmental impact.

Despite Google’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2030, the integration of AI presents challenges. While European and American data centres use mostly carbon-free energy, those in the Middle East, Asia, and Australia rely more on fossil fuels.

Reducing emissions amid AI’s growth remains a formidable task for the tech giant: “As we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging,” they said.

Read more…

BlackRock to acquire UK data group Preqin for £2.55bn

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has agreed to acquire Preqin, a UK-based private markets data group, for £2.55bn in cash.

This acquisition marks BlackRock’s entry into financial information provision, enhancing its focus on alternative assets.

Preqin, specialising in tracking private equity and hedge funds, will be integrated into BlackRock’s technology arm.

This deal underscores the growing demand for granular financial data. Preqin, founded 20 years ago, has experienced significant revenue growth fuelled by the private capital boom.

The acquisition is set to close later this year, positioning BlackRock for further expansion in private markets.

Read more…

Supreme Court rulings boost Big Tech’s power

Recent US Supreme Court decisions are set to significantly enhance Big Tech’s influence by limiting regulatory oversight.

A ruling mandating that SEC fraud cases be tried in court, coupled with overturning the Chevron doctrine, which allowed agencies to interpret laws, will curtail regulators’ power.

This shift empowers companies like Meta and SpaceX to challenge regulatory actions more effectively.

Legal experts warn of increased litigation and a chilling effect on rulemaking. As the US regulatory landscape becomes more complex, there’s concern the country might lag in tech regulation compared to global standards.

“The US invented competition policy — what we call antitrust law — but we’re not only failing to adapt to modern times, but we’re also falling into political retrenchment,” said Laura Phillips-Sawyer, a professor at the University of Georgia School of Law.

Read more…

Audi enhances voice control with ChatGPT integration

Audi will upgrade its vehicle voice control this month by integrating ChatGPT via Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service.

This enhancement applies to around two million Audi models from 2021 onwards, equipped with the third-generation modular infotainment system (MIB 3).

Drivers can now use natural language to interact with their cars, improving safety and convenience.

The Q6 e-tron and future models with the E3 1.2 electronics architecture will also benefit from ChatGPT through Cerence Chat Pro.

The carmaker claims this integration allows for seamless, AI-powered voice commands for infotainment, navigation, and climate control, enhancing the overall driving experience.

Read more…

Australia to build a top-secret cloud with AWS for military use

Australia’s government plans to develop a top secret-rated cloud in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), aimed at enhancing the cybersecurity of its Defence and National Intelligence Community.

Partnering with the Australian Signals Directorate, the TS Cloud aims to securely host the nation’s most sensitive information, improving data sharing and analysis capabilities.

The project, with an estimated budget of up to AUD$2 billion over ten years, involves constructing three dedicated data centres and establishing a local AWS subsidiary.

The initiative promises improved interoperability with the US and utilises advanced technologies such as AI and machine learning. According to The Register, Microsoft chose not to bid because it couldn’t match AWS’s interoperability.

Read more…

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NASA has contracted Elon Musk’s SpaceX to decommission the International Space Station (ISS) once it has been retired by guiding it into the Pacific Ocean early next decade.

The £668 million ($843m) contract involves creating a vehicle capable of safely de-orbiting the 430-tonne ISS, which has been operational since 2000.

While the ISS remains structurally sound, planning for its disposal is essential to prevent uncontrolled re-entry. NASA’s plan involves using a de-orbit vehicle, a ‘tugboat,’ to ensure that the station burns safely in the atmosphere, targeting Point Nemo, a remote Pacific Ocean location.

The focus will then shift to commercial space stations and the lunar Gateway project — a platform that will orbit the moon.

Read more…

Heathrow Airport plunged into chaos after a British Airways IT failure

A British Airways (BA) IT failure left passengers stranded at the UK’s busiest airport without their luggage.

The glitch caused flight cancellations, delays, and long queues, with some travellers missing connections and some even suffering panic attacks. Passengers expressed frustration on social media, describing a lack of information and long waits.

A British Airways spokesperson apologised, noting that the issue was resolved and that extra staff had been deployed to return bags quickly. A statement on X (Twitter) from Heathrow Airport’s account said: “Earlier, British Airways experienced a technical issue with their Allocation System; this has now been resolved.”

As of yesterday, flights were departing from Heathrow Airport with an average delay of 19 minutes. Heathrow Airport has confirmed that no other airlines were affected by the IT failure.

Read more…

TikTok offered the US government a “kill switch” to address data protection concerns

TikTok revealed that the US government was offered a “kill switch” to address data protection and national security concerns.

This switch allowed the government to shut down the platform if it didn’t adhere to specific rules, such as sharing US users’ data with the Chinese government.

This offer was part of TikTok’s effort to prevent a legislative ban unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divested.

TikTok claims the government ceased serious settlement talks after 2022 and ignored their proposals, including the “kill switch” and a draft National Security Agreement.

The US government maintains that divestment is essential for national security. The US Court of Appeals will hear related lawsuits in September.

Read more…

Amazon is secretly developing an AI chatbot to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT

Business Insider sources reveal that the e-commerce giant is reportedly developing a generative AI chatbot named Metis to rival OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

According to internal documents obtained by the online publication, it will be accessed via a web browser and powered by an advanced AI model called Olympus, an enhanced version of Amazon’s Titan model.

Metis aims to provide smart, conversational answers, share response sources, generate images, and suggest follow-up questions using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).

Amazon claims this technique allows Metis to deliver more up-to-date information than other chatbots. Additionally, Metis will function as an AI agent capable of automating complex tasks.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently said that the company’s AI initiatives were expected to drive the business towards “tens of billions of dollars” in sales over the next few years.

Read more…

Waymo makes its self-driving taxis available to everyone in San Francisco

The Alphabet-owned autonomous driving tech company has made its self-driving taxis available to everyone in San Francisco.

This marks a significant milestone in Waymo’s operations since the California Public Utilities Commission has granted Waymo permission to operate commercial driverless services 24/7 in the city despite complaints that the self-driving taxis were causing traffic chaos.

Previously, riders had to sign up on a waitlist, but now, anyone can use the service via the Waymo app. This move aims to gain broader public acceptance for autonomous vehicles.

Nearly 300,000 people have signed up for Waymo rides despite some setbacks and scrutiny. The company operates around 300 self-driving taxis in San Francisco, with additional fleets in Phoenix and Los Angeles.

Read more…

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A London court has ordered Google to face a £13.6 billion lawsuit over whether it has too much influence on the online advertising market.

Ad Tech Collective Action LLP has accused the search engine giant and its parent Alphabet of acting in an anti-competitive way which caused online publishers in the UK to lose money.

London’s Competition Appeal Tribunal dismissed Alphabet’s attempts to dismiss the case – labelling it as “incoherent” saying the case will now go to trial.

Google’s legal director, Oliver Bethell, described the lawsuit as “speculative and opportunistic.”

“We’ll oppose it vigorously and on the facts,” he added in a statement.

Read more

Gemini AI launches in Europe

It isn’t all bad news for Google in Europe, however, as the firm announced the launch of its AI app Gemini across the UK and Europe.

The dedicated app makes the mobile version of Google’s powerful AI chatbot free to download, offering an AI assistant on the move.

It works similarly to the desktop version of Gemini, which is Google’s answer to ChatGPT, and the mobile launch as seen as the next step to fully replacing the Google Assistant with its AI counterpart.

“It’s an important first step in building a true AI assistant — one that is conversational, multimodal and helpful,” said Jules Walter, group product manager of Google’s Gemini division.

Read more

AI growth drives Nvidia to $3tn valuation and second most valuable company

The growth of AI has helped drive the valuation of Nvidia to over $3 trillion, making the chipmaker the second most valuable listed company in the world.

A 5% share price hike saw Nvidia leapfrog Apple in market value, leaving it behind only Microsoft in terms of listed companies.

It marks a rapid rise for the US firm, which has seen its share price grow by more than 50% since February, when it topped the $2tn mark for the first time, with optimism about the role its chipsets will play in the future of AI fuelling the growth

Apple was the first company to reach a $1tn and $2tn market cap. It long held the title of most valuable US company but was surpassed by Microsoft earlier this year. Microsoft has also benefited from investor demand for AI infrastructure, with the software giant one of the key investors in OpenAI.

Read more

CNN and Paris Hilton targeted in TikTok hack

Celebrities and major brands including CNN and socialite Paris Hilton have had their TikTok accounts targeted in a major cyber attack, although the social media firm said only a small number of accounts had been breached.

TikTok – which is owned by Chinese firm Bytedance – said it was already taking steps to mitigate the attack, which saw hackers attempt to hijack a number of high-profile users through direct messages.

“We have taken measures to stop this attack and prevent it from happening in the future. We’re working directly with affected account owners to restore access, if needed,” said Jason Grosse, a spokesperson for TikTok’s privacy and security team.

Read more

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