Category: Business

Instagram tries using AI to determine if teens are pretending to be adults Instagram is beginning to test the use of artificial intelligence to determine if kids are lying about their ages on the app, parent company Meta Platforms said on Monday. Go to techxplore

Google facing £5 bn UK lawsuit over ad searches: firms Google on Wednesday said it would “vigorously” defend itself after some 250,000 UK businesses filed a multi-billion-pound legal claim against the US tech giant for allegedly overcharging for online advertising. Go to techxplore

Meta to start using Europeans’ data for AI training May 27 Meta will start using public posts and comments by its European users to train generative artificial intelligence (AI) models from May 27, unless users opt out of the data-mining project. Go to techxplore

TikTok tests letting users add informative ‘Footnotes’ TikTok on Wednesday said it is testing a feature that would let people add “Footnotes” providing informative context to videos that might be misleading. Go to techxplore

Facebook added ‘value’ to Instagram, Zuckerberg says in antitrust trial Social media titan Mark Zuckerberg testified for a second day Tuesday in a landmark US antitrust trial, defending his conglomerate Meta against accusations it took over Instagram and WhatsApp to devour budding competitors. Go to techxplore

Meta chief Zuckerberg testifies at landmark US antitrust trial Meta chief and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg took the stand Monday in a landmark US antitrust trial in which his social media juggernaut stands accused of abusing its market power to acquire Instagram and WhatsApp before they could become competitors. Go to techxplore

Q&A: How blockchain could change the NFL draft The NFL draft is entertaining, but it’s also the setting for high-stakes negotiations where teams often simultaneously seek a competitive advantage and cooperate with each other by trading draft picks. These deals are complex, fast-paced and rely on a clear understanding between the teams involved. Go to…

UK government urged to tackle inequality in ‘low-carbon tech’ like solar panels and electric cars The UK government needs to go beyond offering subsidies for low-carbon technologies (LCTs) like electric cars and solar panels for energy and heating, if it is to meet its net-zero targets by 2050, a new report from the University of…

Google accused of harming kids by secretly grabbing data from school-provided tech products Google is secretly using its education products, including those used in many Bay Area schools, to identify students individually, track their online activity including sites they visit and links they click, and “steal” their personal data for profit, a lawsuit filed by…

Using liquid air for grid-scale energy storage As the world moves to reduce carbon emissions, solar and wind power will play an increasing role in electricity grids. But those renewable sources only generate electricity when it’s sunny or windy. So to ensure a reliable power grid—one that can deliver electricity 24/7—it’s crucial to have a…

Chile and South Africa could be green hydrogen exporters, but setting up industries with debt is dangerous Vast amounts of renewable energy are needed to produce green hydrogen, a new form of energy made by splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable power. Go to techxplore

Facing US competition, EU suggests loosening AI, data rules The EU said Wednesday it is considering streamlining artificial intelligence and data rules as part of a broader push to help European businesses keep up with US and Chinese rivals. Go to techxplore

Trump gives TikTok extra 75 days to find buyer US President Donald Trump on Friday extended the deadline for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a ban in the United States, allowing 75 more days to find a solution. Go to techxplore

Microsoft’s AI division head wants to create a lasting relationship between chatbots and their users Fifty years after the founding of Microsoft, the CEO of its artificial intelligence division has a big task: develop a new product line as integral to daily life as the software giant’s past innovations. Go to techxplore

Zuckerberg repeats Trump visits in bid to settle antitrust case Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has made repeated visits to the White House as he tries to persuade US President Donald Trump to settle a major antitrust case before it goes to trial on April 14, US media reported. Go to techxplore

US energy department invites AI data center development at Los Alamos and other federal lands The U.S. Department of Energy said it has identified 16 federal sites, including storied nuclear research laboratories such as Los Alamos, where tech companies could build data centers in a push to accelerate commercial development of artificial intelligence technology. Go…

Amazon makes last-minute bid for TikTok: report Amazon has made a last-minute bid to buy TikTok, which faces a US ban if not sold by its Chinese owner, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. Go to techxplore

AI thinks like us—flaws and all: Study finds ChatGPT mirrors human decision biases in half the tests Can we really trust AI to make better decisions than humans? A new study says … not always. Researchers have discovered that OpenAI’s ChatGPT, one of the most advanced and popular AI models, makes the same kinds of…

Efficient spare parts delivery model promises cost and emission reductions A distribution model designed to streamline spare parts delivery to roadside assistance vehicles could cut costs in half, according to work published in the International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics. Go to techxplore

‘Something is rotten’: Apple’s AI strategy faces doubts Has Apple, the biggest company in the world, bungled its generative artificial intelligence strategy? Go to techxplore

Elon Musk sells X to his own xAI for $33 billion in all-stock deal Elon Musk has sold social media site X to his own xAI artificial intelligence company in a $33 billion all-stock deal, the billionaire announced on Friday. Go to techxplore

Beyond the chicken-and-egg dilemma—uncovering the hidden challenges of the digital platform business model Some of the most valuable companies in the world owe their success to digital platforms. But why do several companies fail when attempting to follow in their footsteps? Khaled Abed Alghani’s doctoral dissertation in strategic management at the University of Vaasa sheds…

TikTok Shop ready for business in France, Germany, Italy Social network TikTok is taking e-commerce by storm and will launch a new feature, dubbed TikTok Shop—on Monday in France, Germany and Italy—allowing direct purchases in the app, the company said on Thursday. Go to techxplore

Games publisher Ubisoft announces restructuring, billion-euro investment In a bid to escape financial woes, French games giant Ubisoft said Thursday it was creating a new subsidiary around its most popular franchises such as “Assassin’s Creed” in partnership with China’s Tencent. Go to techxplore

Apple says Indonesia iPhone sales ban ends in April Tech giant Apple announced on Wednesday the iPhone 16 will be available in Indonesia from next month, indicating the sales ban in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy had been lifted. Go to techxplore

Napster sold to tech commerce company for $207 million A brand that was notoriously connected to music piracy before reemerging as a subscription music service has been sold to Infinite Reality for $207 million. Go to techxplore

Perseus: A tool for tracking the coordination of pump-and-dump crypto coin schemes A team of computer scientists and financial specialists at University College London has developed a tool to track the coordination efforts of pump-and-dump crypto coin scheme manipulators. They have published a paper on the arXiv preprint server describing their tool called Perseus, its…

Hyundai announces new $21 billion investment in US manufacturing South Korean auto giant Hyundai on Monday announced a multi-billion-dollar investment in the United States, including a new $5.8 billion steel plant. Go to techxplore

AI startup Perplexity confirms interest to buy TikTok Artificial intelligence (AI) startup Perplexity on Friday expressed its interest in buying TikTok, which faces a deadline to divest from its Chinese owner or be banned in the United States. Go to techxplore

Hollywood urges Trump to protect film, TV from AI Hundreds of Hollywood stars including Ben Stiller, Cate Blanchett and Cynthia Erivo have urged Donald Trump’s White House to protect film, TV and music copyrights against big tech and artificial intelligence. Go to techxplore

Trump’s bitcoin reserve a ‘digital Fort Knox’ The creation of a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” in the United States is further proof of President Donald Trump’s support for the cryptocurrency sector. Go to techxplore

Tech stocks keep tumbling this year; here’s why When President Trump returned to the White House, tech executives from Apple, OpenAI, Oracle and other companies pledged to create thousands of jobs, fuel innovation and invest billions of dollars in the United States. Go to techxplore

Exploring AI’s potential to enhance trust in non-routine work environments In today’s economy, many workers have transitioned from manual labor toward knowledge work, a move driven primarily by technological advances, and workers in this domain face challenges around managing non-routine work, which is inherently uncertain. Automated interventions can help workers understand their work and boost…

The Texas hydrogen industry needs water: New study provides details on how much There are many ways to make hydrogen—a carbon-free energy source and petrochemical ingredient. But no matter the method, all hydrogen production requires a lot of water. Go to techxplore

Amazon Prime Video tests AI-assisted dubbing Amazon’s Prime Video streaming service announced Wednesday it will begin testing AI-assisted dubbing to make its international content more accessible to viewers worldwide. Go to techxplore

Reddit co-founder joins ‘People’s Bid’ to buy TikTok Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian announced Monday that he is joining a US bid to buy TikTok, becoming a strategic advisor to the effort. Go to techxplore

Giant chipmaker TSMC to spend $100B to expand chip manufacturing in US, Trump announces Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. plans to invest $100 billion in the United States, President Donald Trump said Monday, on top of $65 billion in investments the company had previously announced. Go to techxplore

China signals renewed tech sector support, but concerns linger A simple handshake between President Xi Jinping and once-shunned entrepreneur Jack Ma sent Chinese tech stocks booming in recent weeks as it was interpreted as the latest sign the sector is being brought in from the cold—though experts advise caution. Go to techxplore

Intel slows $28 bn chip factory project in Ohio Struggling US chip maker Intel on Friday pushed out the timeline for completing two new fabrication plants in Ohio, saying it is taking a prudent approach to the $28 billion project. Go to techxplore

Promoting the purchase of electric cars by adapting incentives The electrification of the car fleet is one of the solutions proposed to combat greenhouse gas emissions. Swiss economists have assessed the financial incentive schemes available when purchasing new electric vehicles. Go to techxplore

Japan’s ANA to purchase mega-order of 77 new jets Japan’s biggest airline ANA Holdings announced Tuesday it will purchase 77 new aircraft from Boeing, Airbus and Embraer to replenish its fleet in order to serve growing passenger demand domestically and internationally. Go to techxplore

Hong Kong and Singapore lead Asia’s drive to cash in on crypto boom Hong Kong and Singapore are the front-runners in a push by Asian governments to become cryptocurrency hubs as they look to capitalise on the global resurgence of the sector thanks to the support of US President Donald Trump. Go to techxplore

Cryptocurrency exchange says it was victim of $1.5 billion hack A major cryptocurrency exchange says it was the victim of a sophisticated hack that stole about $1.5 billion worth of digital currency, marking one of the biggest online thefts of all time. Go to techxplore

Apple says halting data protection tool for UK users Apple said on Friday it was ending full end-to-end encryption for British customers and iPhone users, following US media reports the UK government had asked for global data access. Go to techxplore

Using AI to achieve business transformation: A long-term process that needs to be managed A new paper co-authored by Professor Feng Li, Associate Dean for Research & Innovation at Bayes Business School, has warned businesses that artificial intelligence (AI) is not yet advanced enough to transform organizational processes, despite widespread hype about its impact on…