Innholdsfortegnelse for #588 i Techlife News

Before the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT was unleashed into the world, the novelist Robin Sloan was testing a similar AI writing assistant built by researchers at Google. It didn’t take long for Sloan, author of the bestseller “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore,” to realize that the technology was of little use to him. “A lot of the state-of-the-art AI right now is impressive enough to really raise your expectations and make you think, ‘Wow, I’m dealing with something really, really capable,’” Sloan said. “But then in a thousand little ways, a million little ways, it ends up kind of disappointing you and betraying the fact that it really has no idea what’s going on.” Another company might have released the experiment into the wild anyway, as the startup OpenAI did with…

In a first-of-its-kind enforcement, the Federal Trade Commission has imposed a $1.5 million penalty on telehealth and prescription drug discount provider GoodRx Holdings Inc. for sharing users’ personal health data with Facebook, Google and other third parties without their consent. Under a settlement, California-based GoodRx also accepted that it will be prohibited going forward from sharing user health data with third parties for advertising purposes, the FTC said. GoodRx admitted no wrongdoing and said in a blog post that it settled “to avoid the time and expense of protracted litigation.” The agreement is pending federal court approval. Consumer protection advocates hailed Wednesday’s announcement as a potential game-changer that could seriously curtail a little-known phenomenon: The trafficking in sensitive health data by businesses not strictly classified as health care providers. “Digital…

As Apple increasingly looks to find ways to boost its services revenue and encourage customers to move away from exploitative ad-backed platforms like Facebook, the firm is reportedly on the verge of announcing its own supercharged search engine to rival Google. A “SILENT WAR” WITH GOOGLE It’s no secret that Google and Apple aren’t best friends. Now, according to a new report, two former engineers at Apple have revealed the tech giant holds a grudge against Google due to the alleged copying of iOS by Android. The two tech giants have been competitors in the smartphone market since Google introduced and popularized the Android operating system in the 2000s. This led to an infamous declaration of “thermonuclear war” against Google by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who accused Android of being…

The maker of ChatGPT is trying to curb its reputation as a freewheeling cheating machine with a new tool that can help teachers detect if a student or artificial intelligence wrote that homework. The new AI Text Classifier launched this week by OpenAI follows a weeks-long discussion at schools and colleges over fears that ChatGPT’s ability to write just about anything on command could fuel academic dishonesty and hinder learning. OpenAI cautions that its new tool – like others already available – is not foolproof. The method for detecting AI-written text “is imperfect and it will be wrong sometimes,” said Jan Leike, head of OpenAI’s alignment team tasked to make its systems safer. “Because of that, it shouldn’t be solely relied upon when making decisions,” Leike said. Teenagers and college…

In just the past month there have been nearly 50,000 job cuts across the technology sector. Large and small tech companies went on a hiring spree in over the past several years due to a demand for their products, software and services surged with millions of people working remotely. However, even with all of the layoffs announced in recent weeks, most tech companies are still vastly larger than they were three years ago. Here’s a look at some of the companies that have announced layoffs so far. AUGUST 2022 Snap: The parent company of social media platform Snapchat said that it was letting go of 20% of its staff. Snap’s staff has grown to more than 5,600 employees in recent years and the company said at the time that even…

Japan and the Netherlands have agreed to a deal with the U.S. to restrict China’s access to materials used to make advanced computer chips, a person familiar with the agreement told. The person declined to be identified because the deal hasn’t yet been formally announced. It’s unclear when all three sides will unveil the agreement. The White House declined to comment. The Biden administration in October imposed export controls to limit China’s ability to access advanced chips, which it says can be used to make weapons, commit human rights abuses and improve the speed and accuracy of its military logistics. It urged allies like Japan and the Netherlands to follow suit. China has responded angrily, saying trade curbs will disrupt supply chains and the global economic recovery. “We hope the…

Facebook parent company Meta posted lower fourth-quarter profit and revenue, hurt by a downturn in the online advertising market and competition from rivals such as TikTok. But the company’s stock soared in extended trading, as its revenue beat Wall Street’s muted expectations and the Menlo Park, California-based company announced a $40 billion stock buyback. This is the third consecutive quarter of revenue decline for the tech giant, which laid off 11,000 workers, or about 13% of its workforce, in November. CEO Mark Zuckerberg blamed the layoffs on aggressive hiring during the pandemic, when Meta’s business boomed because people were stuck at home, scrolling on their phones and computers, glued to social media. But as the lockdowns ended and people started going outside again, revenue growth began to falter. “(Our) management…

Ford is cutting prices on its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV by as much as $6,000 just weeks after market leader Tesla took similar steps. The Detroit automaker is increasing production of the Mach-E this year and said it is taking advantage of streamlined costs to reduce prices across the board, it said. The cut comes just over two weeks after Tesla Inc. dropped prices 6% to nearly 20% in the United States on most of its models in an effort to bolster demand and raise market share. Ford’s maneuver will almost certainly force other automakers to trim prices as well, touching off a bit of a price war for electric vehicles, said Jeff Schuster, president of global forecasting for LMC Automotive, a Detroit-area consulting firm. “To remain price competitive to…

The Biden administration is taking aim at Apple and Google for operating mobile app stores that it says stifle competition. The finding is contained in a Commerce Department report being released by the administration as President Joe Biden convenes his competition council for an update on efforts to promote competition and lower prices. The report from the department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration says the current app store model — dominated by Cupertino, California-based Apple Inc. and Mountain View, California-based Google LLC — is “harmful to consumers and developers” by inflating prices and reducing innovation. The firms have a stranglehold on the market that squelches competition, it adds. “The policies that Apple and Google have in place in their own mobile app stores have created unnecessary barriers and costs for…

The U.S. Justice Department has requested documents from Tesla related to its Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving” features, according to a regulatory filing. “To our knowledge no government agency in any ongoing investigation has concluded that any wrongdoing occurred,” Tesla said in the filing this week with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Austin, Texas, electric vehicle maker cautioned that if the government decides to pursue an enforcement action, it could possibly have a material adverse impact on its business. Messages were left seeking comment from the Justice Department and from Tesla, which has disbanded its media relations department. Tesla Inc. is already facing multiple investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for problems with its two driver-assist systems, Autopilot and “Full Self-Driving.” Despite their names, Tesla still says on…

A top European Union official told Elon Musk that Twitter needs to make progress in preparing for a new law aimed at curbing hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content, adding pressure on the company to ensure it complies. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and Musk held a video call to assess Twitter’s readiness for Europe’s new rules, known as the Digital Services Act, that are set to take effect later this year. Breton, who oversees the EU’s digital policy, told Musk that he’s “vigilant” about the resources and tools that Twitter is devoting to tackle trust and safety issues across the 27-nation bloc, including in all its languages, according to a readout of the meeting. Breton noted that Twitter has committed to complying with the new EU regulations, which will…

The details of any potential tax breaks for Tesla’s $3.6 billion expansion of its Nevada factory will remain secret until late February, under a nondisclosure agreement that state officials signed with the electric carmaker. The governor’s economic development office will release the tax-abatement request on Feb 27, just three days before the office votes on whether the planned factory expansion is eligible to receive those tax breaks, spokesperson Gregory Bortolin said. He said the nondisclosure agreement means he can’t give exact figures for any possible tax abatements. Tesla, run by billionaire CEO Elon Musk, intends to produce high volumes of semitrucks and make enough cell batteries for 2 million light-duty vehicles annually in Nevada. The project was announced last week, and will expand an existing operation at the Tahoe Reno…

Amazon is axing free grocery delivery for Prime members on orders less than $150. Customers who get their groceries delivered from Amazon Fresh -- and pay less than $150 — will be charged between $3.95 and $9.95, depending on the order size, the company said in an email to Prime members. “We will continue to offer convenient two-hour delivery windows for all orders, and customers in some areas will be able to select a longer, six-hour delivery window for a reduced fee,” Amazon said in the email. Launched in 2005, Prime has more than 200 million members worldwide who pay $139 a year, or $14.99 a month, for faster shipping and other perks, such as free delivery and returns. Currently, the company offers members free grocery deliveries on orders above…

New DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran debuted their plans for a revamped and newly unified DC Universe of films and television series, including a new Superman film in 2025, a Wonder Woman prequel and a Batman movie that won’t star Robert Pattinson. In all, Gunn and Safran laid out plans for five new films and five new series in a presentation Tuesday that they said would constitute much of the first chapter — themed as “Gods and Monsters” — in an ambitious eight- to 10-year plan to reshape the DCU. After years of fitful success and some much-maligned duds, Gunn and Safran are making their bid for some cohesion and fresh creativity in Warner Bros.′ comic book empire. After a several inherited projects debut in the next…

Boeing bid farewell to an icon this week, delivering its final 747 jumbo jet as thousands of workers who helped build the planes over the past 55 years looked on. Since its first flight in 1969, the giant yet graceful 747 has served as a cargo plane, a commercial aircraft capable of carrying nearly 500 passengers, a transport for NASA’s space shuttles, and the Air Force One presidential aircraft. It revolutionized travel, connecting international cities that had never before had direct routes and helping democratize passenger flight. But over about the past 15 years, Boeing and its European rival Airbus have introduced more profitable and fuel efficient wide-body planes, with only two engines to maintain instead of the 747’s four. The final plane is the 1,574th built by Boeing in…

China’s government accused Washington of pursuing “technology hegemony,” as the United States has begun stepping up pressure on tech giant Huawei by blocking access to American suppliers. The Biden administration has stopped approving renewal of licenses to some U.S. companies that have been selling essential components to the Chinese company, according to two people familiar with the matter. Neither was authorized to comment publicly on the sensitive matter and they spoke on the condition of anonymity. The company, which makes network equipment and smartphones, has been on the U.S. Commerce Department’s entity list, which comprises those subject to licensing requirements, since 2019. It has been allowed to buy some less advanced components. But the new restrictions could cut off Huawei’s access to processor chips and other technology, as large U.S.-based…