#tech-companies
#tech-companies

Microsoft and Amazon face scrutiny from UK competition watchdog over recent AI deals

British regulators to scrutinize AI deals by Microsoft and Amazon amid competition concerns. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

moreartificial-intelligence

What to Know About Tech Companies Using A.I. to Teach Their Own A.I.

Tech companies are exploring the use of synthetic data to train chatbots and A.I. models due to potential copyright lawsuits and data exhaustion from the internet.

Synthetic data is generated by A.I. models and is seen as a solution to copyright issues while increasing the availability of training data for artificial intelligence. [ more ]

remote-work

Fast Company

2 days ago

Remote teams

7 big tech companies with 500+ remote job openings right now

Opportunities to work remotely for tech giants are plentiful, offering diverse roles and benefits. [ more ]

Theregister

2 days ago

Remote teams

HR says biz leaders scared RTO policy causes staff attrition

Tech companies pushing for office returns risk losing talent accustomed to remote work. [ more ]

Tech.co

Remote teams

45 Best Fully Remote Jobs You Can Apply for in May 2024

Remote work flexibility remains available in select roles at top tech companies despite return-to-office mandates. [ more ]

moreremote-work

privacy-concerns

The Drum

What apps do with your health data when you're not looking

Be cautious about trusting pregnancy apps with health data. [ more ]

Fast Company

How China's citizens are coping with digital surveillance

State surveillance is prevalent in China, with digital payment systems and super apps facilitating everyday activities tied to personal data. [ more ]

The Atlantic

The TikTok Ban Is a Red Herring

Lawmakers show hypocrisy in addressing data surveillance concerns, focusing on TikTok while renewing surveillance laws like Section 702. [ more ]

moreprivacy-concerns

TechCrunch

Rubrik's IPO filing hints at thawing public markets for tech companies | TechCrunch

Rubrik filed to go public indicating a warming IPO market for tech companies

Rubrik's revenue growth is being driven by subscription model [ more ]

TechCrunch

TechCrunch Minute: Robinhood's credit card has arrived to take on Apple and any upcoming challengers | TechCrunch

Robinhood Gold Card allows investing cash back bonuses

Tech companies entering consumer credit game [ more ]

TechCrunch

Watch: Why the company behind Trump's Truth Social joined the growing IPO trend | TechCrunch

Tech IPOs Reddit and Astera Labs performed well last week.

IPO market shows signs of revival with successful tech IPOs. [ more ]

digital-markets-act

SiliconANGLE

EU begins investigating Meta, Apple and Google under new tech law - SiliconANGLE

The European Commission has launched investigations into Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc., and Meta Platforms Inc. for potential violations of the Digital Markets Act.

The Digital Markets Act affects various aspects of big tech companies' business practices, including competition, privacy, and app payment guidelines. [ more ]

ReadWrite

EU data protection

Google, Apple and Meta investigated by the EU

EU launched investigations into Meta, Apple, and Alphabet for potential breaches of the Digital Markets Act (DMA)

Companies could face fines of up to 10% of their annual turnover [ more ]

WIRED

Apple Could Be the First Target of Europe's Tough New Tech Law

Apple is a likely target for investigation under Europe's Digital Markets Act due to its restrictive practices.

The European Commission is overseeing enforcement of the DMA and has demanded explanations from Apple regarding recent actions. [ more ]

oregonlive

Europe's Digital Markets Act is forcing tech giants to make changes. Here's what that will look like

Europe implements new regulations under the Digital Markets Act affecting tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok.

The Digital Markets Act aims to create fairer and more contestable digital markets by targeting various services offered by tech giants. [ more ]

WIRED

The Privacy Danger Lurking in Push Notifications

Apps and smartphone operating systems need tokens to send notifications without user interaction.

Digital post office system for law enforcement access to app users' information raises privacy concerns. [ more ]

moredigital-markets-act

stock-market

sfist.com

Some Longtime Reddit Moderators Possibly Got Quite Rich Today Following the Company's IPO

Reddit IPO shares soared 48% to $50.31, above the initial $34 price.

Reddit, founded in 2005, had never turned an actual profit, with cumulative losses of $717 million by December 2023. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Reddit Opens Up 38%, as Shares Begin Trading

Reddit shares opened up about 38% in their first day of trading.

The public markets show an appetite for tech offerings with Reddit's successful IPO. [ more ]

The Seattle Times

Reddit prices IPO at $34 a share, in a positive sign for tech

Reddit priced shares at $34 for IPO, generating $748 million.

Positive sign for Reddit IPO shows investor demand for growing tech companies. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Reddit Said to Price I.P.O. at $34 a Share, in a Positive Sign for Tech

Reddit priced shares at $34, showing strong investor demand for tech companies.

Reddit's IPO pricing a good sign for start-ups and venture capitalists. [ more ]

Quartz

Dell is telling remote workers they can't get promotions, report says

Dell is changing its promotion policy to require remote employees to work in-office for promotions.

The shift in promotion policy by Dell contradicts its past support for remote work. [ more ]

therealdeal.com

LA real estate

Facebook to Shed 130K sf of Offices in Playa Vista

Facebook is subleasing over 130,000 square feet of offices in Playa Vista as part of a general office consolidation.

Tech companies, including Facebook, have been shedding employees and office space due to the shift to remote work during the pandemic. [ more ]

moreremote-work

artificial-intelligence

www.nytimes.com

If Nvidia Keeps Rising Like This, It Will Be Bigger Than the Global Economy

Nvidia's success is tied to artificial intelligence technology.

Enthusiasm for A.I. is driving up shares of Nvidia and other tech companies. [ more ]

Hindustan Times

Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, ECI seeks OpenAI's advice on combating AI in elections

ECI meeting with OpenAI executives for AI guidance

Tech giants signing a pledge to combat AI misuse during elections [ more ]

New York Post

moreartificial-intelligence

AI startup Anthropic - backed by Google and Amazon - unveils new chatbot to rival ChatGPT

Anthropic launches AI chatbots claiming superior performance over Google and OpenAI's models.

Claude 3 offers near-human comprehension and fluency on complex tasks, leading in general intelligence. [ more ]

TechCrunch

AI is going to save software companies' dreams of growth | TechCrunch

AI-powered software products will boost the TAM for technology products and reaccelerate growth at tech companies.

The market is willing to accept that software imbued with new AI capabilities will cost more, widening the TAM of software companies. [ more ]

CyberScoop

Information security

Dozens of tech companies pledge to build safer, more secure tech

More than 60 private-sector companies pledged to prioritize cybersecurity in their tech design, emphasizing security features and vulnerability reduction. [ more ]

Fast Company

Venture

Meta and Alphabet's new dividends reward shareholders-especially the founders

Paying dividends for the first time is significant for growth-focused companies like Alphabet and Meta, benefitting founders substantially. [ more ]

Createsend

Business

Logistics Report: Probing the Dali Disaster; Tracking Norfolk Southern; Shifting Online Outlook

Germany's industrial production declined in March, U.S. economy shows resilience, tech companies facing challenges, semiconductor industry growth expected, logistics industry trends. [ more ]

The Verge

The answer to AI's energy needs could be blowing in the wind

Offshore wind farms and data centers are a potentially beneficial pairing for addressing the energy demands of growing AI technologies. [ more ]

Axios

1 day ago

Get ready for the AI PC

AI PCs are gaining traction with major tech companies investing in developing dedicated AI processors. [ more ]

The Verge

3 days ago

We gotta stop ignoring AI's hallucination problem

AI revolution is no longer conceptual, major tech companies are investing heavily, aiming to make AI accessible to the average user. [ more ]

The Verge

1 day ago

AI assistants are so back

AI assistants are increasingly being pushed by major tech companies for a future where virtual assistants handle tasks like writing emails and code. [ more ]

Entrepreneur

21 hours ago

Sony Music Bars ChatGPT From Listening to Beyonce, Adele | Entrepreneur

Sony Music restricts tech companies from using its music to train AI models to protect intellectual property. [ more ]

The Verge

1 day ago

Sony Music warns AI companies against "unauthorized use" of its content

Sony Music warns tech companies against unauthorized use of content for AI systems. [ more ]

Theregister

3 days ago

Return to office mandates saw senior employees jumping ship

Return to office mandates at tech giants like Microsoft, Apple, and SpaceX led to significant senior employee turnover. [ more ]

www.npr.org

U.S. v. Google: As landmark 'monopoly power' trial closes, here's what to look for

The landmark Google monopoly trial between U.S. Justice Department and Google aims to decide if Google abused its monopoly power in online search.

The case could have significant implications for future antitrust actions against tech companies. [ more ]

ABC7 San Francisco

San Francisco

$1 billion AI company abandons San Francisco for Bay Area Peninsula

San Francisco remains a hub for AI companies despite Replit's relocation down the peninsula. [ more ]

Theregister

UK inertia on LLMs and copyright is 'de facto endorsement'

The UK government's response to alleged copyright theft has been criticized for endorsing tech companies' use of large language models. [ more ]

Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News

Humane AI Pin and Rabbit R1 versus Tech Reviewers: Who's to blame? - Yanko Design

There's a disconnect between tech companies and tech reviewers, leading to blame games instead of addressing the core issue. [ more ]

Business Insider

Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet are doubling down on AI for the cloud - and it seems to be paying off

AI efforts boost Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet's cloud revenue, contributing to Q1 earnings surpassing estimates. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Digital life

Hey, A.I. Let's Talk

Tech companies are investing in voice assistant technology's renaissance despite past unpopularity. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

Digital life

The Big Number: $50.44

Reddit went public with a share price of $50.44 after overcoming challenges like user resistance to advertising.

Reddit's I.P.O. is seen as a bellwether for other private tech companies considering entering the public markets. [ more ]

BBC News

Digital life

Brianna Ghey's mother Esther says Online Safety Act does not go far enough

The mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey believes that the Online Safety Act is not effective enough in protecting children.

She argues that harmful content would still be seen by young people as it may not be deemed as harmful by the law. [ more ]

TechRepublic

Amazon, AT&T, Verizon Named Best Tech Companies for Career Growth in 2024

LinkedIn ranks top tech companies for career growth in U.S., with Amazon leading the list. [ more ]

Fast Company

Google announces a new $75 million fund to train workers in AI-and a new $49 online AI course

Big tech companies are racing to build powerful AI products, leading to a high demand for AI skills training. [ more ]

SFGATE

Medicine

Calif.-based Kaiser may have exposed patient data

Kaiser Permanente warned of data breach exposing customer information to major tech companies. [ more ]

Theregister

Australian authorites call for Big Tech help with decryption

Tech companies urged to provide more assistance in terrorism and exploitation cases. [ more ]

The Verge

The biggest AI companies agree to crack down on child abuse images

Tech companies commit to reviewing AI training data for CSAM and ensuring child safety.

Companies pledge to stress-test AI models, avoid CSAM imagery, and support initiatives against child abuse.

Stanford researchers find popular AI dataset linked to CSAM, while NCMEC struggles with AI-generated CSAM images. [ more ]

CNET

5-ish Things on AI: Fake James Bond Trailer Goes Viral, an Inside Look at Secretive Training Data

AI companies rely on vast amounts of training data from online sources like books, Wikipedia, and news to power large language models for chatbots. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

UK news

Social media giants must help us clamp down on soaring fraud, says bank boss

Tech companies like Facebook need to take responsibility in combating online fraud epidemic to protect users. [ more ]

TechCrunch

Investors are growing increasingly wary of AI | TechCrunch

Global investment in AI dropped by 20% in 2023, signaling a shift in the industry's dynamics. [ more ]

ReadWrite

Meta tests AI on WhatsApp and Instagram users in India and parts of Africa

Meta AI is being tested on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger users in India and parts of Africa. [ more ]

Deadline

California

Google Shutting Down Some California Access To News Sites As A Test Of Proposed Legislation's Effects

Google is testing removing California news websites due to a potential law requiring payment for content linking. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Media industry

Google blocking links to California news outlets from search results

Google has temporarily blocked local news links in California due to the CJPA advancement, urging lawmakers to reconsider to prevent a negative impact on the news industry. [ more ]

KPBS Public Media

Media industry

Google blocks California news in response to bill that would force tech giant to pay

Google blocking California news articles to oppose payment law. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

Media industry

Meta says Facebook cannot solve media industry's issues' as it defends ending payments for news in Australia

Meta refuses to pay news companies in Australia, leading to government scrutiny.

Meta insists global tech companies can't solve news industry issues. [ more ]

www.nytimes.com

How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I.

OpenAI faced a supply problem and used a speech recognition tool called Whisper to transcribe YouTube videos for training its A.I. system.

Tech companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta have pushed boundaries and debated ethical dilemmas in obtaining digital data for advancing AI technology. [ more ]

Theregister

Nvidia, Amazon, and others funding Japanese-US AI research

US and Japanese governments announce academic AI partnerships with $110 million funding from tech companies like Nvidia and Microsoft.

Universities like University of Washington, University of Tsukuba, Carnegie Mellon, and Keio University partnering for AI research in various focus areas. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

UK has real concerns about AI risks, says competition regulator

Six major tech companies dominate AI sector through investments, raising concerns of anti-competitive behavior.

AI foundation models like GPT-4 and Gemini hold immense power to shape markets, potentially leading to exploitation. [ more ]

Axios

Key lawmakers unveil landmark data privacy bill

A new data privacy bill was introduced by bipartisan lawmakers focusing on making privacy a consumer right.

The bill aims to create a unified data privacy law in the U.S., giving consumers the right to sue tech companies for privacy violations. [ more ]

TechCrunch

'Reverse' searches: The sneaky ways that police tap tech companies for your private data | TechCrunch

Police departments rely on tech companies' data for criminal investigations.

Reverse searches demand vast amounts of user data from tech giants for law enforcement purposes. [ more ]

Reuters

Inside Big Tech's underground race to buy AI training data

Photobucket, once a dominant image-hosting site, has seen a drastic decline in users but may revive through licensing photos/videos for generative AI training.

The company is in talks with tech firms to charge between 5 cents to $1 per photo and more than $1 per video for training AI models. [ more ]

Theregister

Tech titans assemble to decide which jobs AI can cut first

IBM CEO Arvind Krishna emphasizes AI's potential to replace workers

Consortium of tech companies, including IBM, to address AI's impact on workers by identifying roles to be eliminated and offering training programs

Tech companies developing AI replacements are taking a leading role in workforce development [ more ]

The Verge

London politics

Jon Stewart on AI, Lina Khan, and the other things Apple didn't want him to say

Apple asked Jon Stewart not to have FTC Chair Lina Khan on his podcast.

Jon Stewart criticized Apple's reluctance to have conversations about tech companies publicly. [ more ]

TechCrunch

Why Amazon is betting $4B on Anthropic's AI success

Big tech investments in AI are becoming increasingly common

The scale of investment in AI is growing exponentially [ more ]

Above the Law

Law

The Murthy Arguments Went So Poorly For The States That The FBI Feels Comfortable Talking To Social Media Companies Again

The FBI has re-established communications with social media companies following setbacks in the Murthy v. Missouri case.

There are instances where it is warranted for the FBI to be in contact with tech platforms, particularly in cases of danger or threat. [ more ]

Above the Law

Law

Should You Operate Your Law Firm Like A Tech Company?

Law firms can be run like tech companies, using the right software and platforms.

Important tools for law firms include case management programs, intake tools, document assembly, and integrated epayment systems. [ more ]

The Verge

Nvidia's AI chip dominance is being targeted by Google, Intel, and Arm

Tech companies are developing an open-source software suite to compete with Nvidia in AI market.

Unified Acceleration Foundation aims to eliminate Nvidia's software lock-in. [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

Women in technology

Twitter worst social media platform for online threats against women, report finds

Women more likely to face abuse on Twitter compared to other platforms

Majority of online harm against women involves text-based threats, image-based abuse, and sexually explicit content. [ more ]

www.fastcompany.com

Roblox launches a $35 million fund for creatorsand introduces its answer to TikTok

Roblox launches $35 million Creator Fund for developers and users beyond games.

Tech companies like Meta, Snapchat, Pinterest, and TikTok are competing for creator attention with similar funds and programs. [ more ]

Slate Magazine

A Decade Ago, I Saw "Uber's Zombie Horde" Take on D.C. Now, TikTok Is Using the Same Tactic.

ByteDance mobilizes TikTok users to lobby against forced sale by Congress.

Tech companies use user lobbying strategies to influence policy decisions. [ more ]

sfist.com

Former Instagram Offices In Downtown SF May Be About to Become TikTok Offices

ByteDance is in discussions to sublease office space previously leased by Meta in San Francisco's SoMa district.

Tech companies often lease more office space than needed, anticipating future growth. [ more ]

Engadget

New York City is suing social media firms for allegedly harming the mental health of children

New York City is suing Meta, Google, Snap, and TikTok for fueling a youth mental health crisis.

The lawsuit accuses these companies of public nuisance, negligence, and gross negligence.

The city claims that social media platforms are endangering children's mental health and promoting addiction. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

EU data protection

EU calls on tech firms to outline plans to tackle deepfakes amid election fears

Tech companies asked to detail deepfake measures under new EU laws

EU investigates AliExpress for illegal products under the Digital Services Act (DSA) [ more ]

TechCrunch

SuperAGI snags funding from Jan Koum's Newlands VC to fuel its full-stack AGI ambitions | TechCrunch

SuperAGI is developing an AGI platform using LAMs.

Newlands VC led a $10 million Series A funding for SuperAGI. [ more ]

TechCrunch

European startups

Qatar reportedly has a $100M fund for startups | TechCrunch

Qatar unveiled a startup investment program at Web Summit managed by Qatar Development Bank with a $100 million fund.

The 'Startup Qatar Investment Program' offers funding up to $500,000 for startups establishing in the country and up to $5 million for expansions. [ more ]

Engadget

Cars

The Apple Car never felt real

Apple's Project Titan, an initiative for future transportation, has reportedly ended after consuming billions and changing direction multiple times.

The idea of Apple creating a car was considered far-fetched, despite its potential expertise in the field. [ more ]

www.vice.com

Cars

A Crowd Attacked a Self-Driving Car and Set It on Fire. It's Unlikely to Be the Last Time.

A Waymo self-driving car was attacked and set on fire by a crowd in San Francisco.

This incident highlights the growing hostility between residents and tech companies using the city's streets for testing self-driving cars. [ more ]

Firstpost

Big Tech is Thirsty: Microsoft used over 22 billion litres of water in 2022 to power AI, Google 7 billion

Increased water consumption by major tech companies due to AI advancements

Urgent need to address water footprint of AI models for environmental sustainability [ more ]

New York Post

NYC politics

NY should probe Google, Meta and others for allowing illegal weed shops to thrive: business owners

Legal weed shop owners in New York are seeking investigation into tech companies for enabling unlicensed weed shops' promotion.

New York cannabis industry leaders call for accountability of social media platforms in restricting illegal weed shop advertisements. [ more ]

Axios

UN official to tech firms: Human rights are your job

Tech companies have a responsibility to ensure their products do not cause harm.

Existing UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights should guide tech companies in their operations. [ more ]

Social Media Today

Tech Companies Sign Accord To Limit Impact of AI Deepfakes

Tech companies pledge to prevent AI disruption in elections

AI deepfakes used in Indonesian election [ more ]

www.independent.co.uk

Parenting

Parents need to look at own phone addiction', says Children's Commissioner

Parents struggling to set screen time rules due to their own excessive phone use.

Tech companies urged to fund parental education to help families understand online content. [ more ]

Exchangewire

Apple to Face 427m Fine over Spotify Antitrust Complaint; Paramount & Comcast Discussing Streaming Merger; Big Tech Agree to New AI Pact

Apple faces €500m fine over Spotify complaint

Paramount and Comcast discussing streaming merger

Tech giants agree to prevent AI for political disruption [ more ]

euronews

Big Tech companies sign accord to fight AI-generated election trickery

Major technology companies signed voluntary pact to prevent AI disruption of elections

The accord focuses on detecting and labeling deceptive AI content, not banning or removing it [ more ]

Social Media Today

Tech Companies Agree to New Accord to Limit the Impacts of AI Deepfakes

Tech companies agreed to prevent AI disruption in elections

AI deepfakes used in Indonesian election [ more ]

Semafor

Tech companies go dark about AI advances. That's a problem for innovation. | Semafor

AI research evolved in academia then transferred to tech companies

Google, Meta, and OpenAI differ in sharing advanced AI research publicly [ more ]

Engadget

Microsoft, OpenAI, Google and others agree to combat election-related deepfakes

A coalition of 20 tech companies including OpenAI, Google, Meta, Amazon, Adobe, and X have signed an agreement to prevent AI deepfakes in the 2024 elections.

The agreement aims to develop and implement technology to mitigate risks related to deceptive AI election content and detect and address such content on their platforms. [ more ]

New York Post

OpenAI, Meta, other tech giants sign effort to fight AI election interference

A group of 20 tech companies have agreed to work together to prevent deceptive AI content from interfering with elections.

The agreement includes commitments to develop tools for detecting misleading AI-generated content and educate voters on deceptive content. [ more ]

Digiday

Tech companies make more commitments to address AI-generated election misinformation

Tech companies commit to combatting harmful AI content related to global elections

Agreement includes commitments to prevent AI-generated misinformation [ more ]

www.mercurynews.com

Tech companies sign accord to combat AI-generated election trickery

Major tech companies have signed a pact to adopt precautions against the use of AI to disrupt elections.

The voluntary accord focuses on detecting and labeling deepfakes but does not commit to banning or removing them. [ more ]

The Verge

Nvidia is now worth more than Amazon and Alphabet

Nvidia surpasses Alphabet and Amazon in market capitalization, becoming the world's fourth most valuable company.

Nvidia's top sales of AI chips come from its competitors, who are also in an AI chip arms race. [ more ]

Semafor

US commerce secretary is 'very worried' about AI being used to disrupt elections | Semafor

The U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium has been launched with over 200 members including tech companies, academics, and civil society groups.

The consortium will advise the department's AI Safety Institute and develop guidelines based on Biden's executive order on AI. [ more ]

TechCrunch

Grammarly lays off 230 employees as part of a 'business restructuring' | TechCrunch

Grammarly is laying off 230 employees worldwide as part of a "business restructuring."

The layoffs are part of Grammarly's efforts to focus on the AI-enabled workplace. [ more ]

time.com

Top AI Companies Join Government Effort to Set Safety Standards

Top US AI companies are joining a government-led consortium to establish federal standards on AI safety.

The consortium includes major tech players such as Microsoft, Google, Apple, and IBM. [ more ]

www.mercurynews.com

East Bay (California)

Tech companies slash more than 3,900 Bay Area jobs in 2024 as layoffs widen

Tech companies in the Bay Area have announced plans to cut over 3,900 jobs in 2024, indicating a challenging year ahead for the industry.

Companies such as Salesforce, Snap, Maxar Space, and Activision Blizzard have disclosed their plans for job cuts through official filings with the state Employment Development Department. [ more ]

www.theguardian.com

AI doctors and chatbot nurses? Labour must show the future of the NHS isn't so dystopian | Jeni Tennison

Labour hopes to use AI to rescue the NHS, but tech-utopian visions could reshape relationships with doctors and undermine NHS principles.

Both Labour and the Tory government see potential in AI to improve healthcare, but it is not a magic bullet for the NHS crisis. [ more ]

www.fastcompany.com