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REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Wipro (WIPR.NS) may skip giving hikes to "top performers with higher compensation" in its largest business line in the upcoming round of salary revisions in December, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. Wipro will prioritise employees with lower compensation among those eligible for a raise, Bandaru highlighted, adding that "top performers with higher compensation may not be covered in this cycle". Wipro, which had 244,707 employees as of Sept. 30, had already delayed its salary hike cycle. Some industry watchers said the move echoed a larger trend in the tech industry as it tried to address pay inequities among regions and cut payroll costs. While Infosys (INFY.NS) delayed giving hikes by two quarters, HCL (HCLT.NS) skipped hikes for managers.

Persons: Dado, Peter Bendor, Samuel, Ray Wang, Sai Ishwarbharath, Haripriya Suresh, Dhanya Skariachan Organizations: Wipro, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Employees, Wipro Enterprise, Everest Group, ”, Infosys, HCL, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Congress to hold new AI hearings as it works to craft safeguards
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Congress next week will hold three hearings on artificial intelligence, including one with Microsoft (MSFT.O) President Brad Smith and Nvidia (NVDA.O) chief scientist William Daly as Congress works on legislation to mitigate the dangers of the emerging technology. A Senate Judiciary subcommittee is holding a hearing on Tuesday titled “Oversight of AI: Legislating on Artificial Intelligence." A House Oversight subcommittee will hold a hearing on Thursday that will look at potential risks in federal agency adoption of AI along with the adequacy of safeguards to protect individual privacy and ensure fair treatment. Witnesses include White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Arati Prabhaker along with the Pentagon's chief digital and artificial intelligence officer Craig Martell and Homeland Security Department's Chief Information Officer Eric Hysen. "However, it is critical that before we let the genie out of the bottle we understand the unique risks of inappropriate use of AI by the federal government."

Persons: Brad Smith, William Daly, Richard Blumenthal, Blumenthal, Josh Hawley, Chuck Schumer, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Arati Prabhaker, Craig Martell, Eric Hysen, Nancy Mace, Victoria Espinel, Rob Strayer, David Shepardson, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Microsoft, Nvidia, Artificial Intelligence, Republican, U.S, Meta, White, Office of Science, Technology, Homeland Security, BSA, The Software Alliance, Information Technology Industry, Thomson

A record 38 QDII funds had been launched this year until August 17, outpacing the 31 funds launched in 2022, Morningstar data shows. Tianhong, which is planning new QDII products, obtained a $120 million fresh QDII quota in July, less than it had hoped for. Rather than foreign capital selling China equities, this time it's Chinese investors’ outbound investment,” Liu said. HUGE DEMANDThe QDII program, launched in 2006, remains a key outbound investment channel for mainland Chinese investors, alongside the Qualified Domestic Limited Partnership (QDLP) programme. Tracy Liu, an individual investor working in the information technology industry, invested in an India-focused QDII fund in March.

Persons: Aly, Ivan Shi, Liu Dong, Becky Liu, Liu, ” Liu, Desiree Wang, Tracy Liu, Summer Zhen, Samuel Shen, Jason Xue, Vidya Ranganathan Organizations: REUTERS, Morningstar, Domestic Institutional, Nasdaq, Ben Advisors, Connect, Bond, U.S, Dow Jones, State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Tianhong, Management, Ant Financial, Standard Chartered Bank, Reuters, Qualified Domestic Limited, Asset Management Association of China, Guangfa NASDAQ, Technology, Morgan Asset Management, Morgan Asset Management China, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, Shenzhen, China, U.S, HONG KONG, SHANGHAI, Hong Kong, Vietnam, India, outflows, Japan, Russia

☆ EU countries, lawmakers reach data rule deal targeting Big Tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, June 27 (Reuters) - EU countries and EU lawmakers on Tuesday agreed on rules that govern how Big Tech and other companies use European consumer and corporate data, with safeguards against non-EU governments gaining illegal access. The European Commission proposed the Data Act last year to cover data generated in smart gadgets, machinery and consumer products, part of a raft of legislation aimed at curbing the power of U.S. tech giants. EU concerns about data transfers have grown following revelations by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 of mass U.S. surveillance. "Tonight's agreement on the Data Act is a milestone in reshaping the digital space...we are on the way of a thriving EU data economy that is innovative and open — on our conditions," EU industry chief Thierry Breton said in a tweet. It also gives consumers and companies a say on what can be done with the data generated by their connected products.

Persons: Edward Snowden, Thierry Breton, Damian Boeselager, Guido Lobrano, Foo Yun Chee, David Gregorio, Lincoln Organizations: Big Tech, EU, European Commission, Manufacturers, Siemens, SAP, Information Technology Industry, ITI, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe

☆ Morgan Stanley: These 5 stocks are well-positioned to reap the rewards of rising artificial intelligence adoption
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Information technology firms should benefit as the adoption of artificial intelligence increases. For instance, another subset of technology firms that could capitalize on the rise of automation enabled by AI, especially in the near term, includes information technology services vendors. Although this may be true, the analysts also noted that information technology firms have traditionally been quick to adapt to and adjust for technological advancements. 5 stocks poised to benefit from the rise of AIEven within the information technology industry, it's clear that not all firms are created equally. In the report, the analysts identified five information technology companies that are uniquely positioned to become key beneficiaries of rising artificial intelligence adoption.

Persons: Morgan Stanley Organizations: Nvidia, IT Services, Services

☆ Analysis: Global tax deal at risk as first pillar teeters
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Leigh Thomas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Reuters GraphicsDIGITAL SERVICE TAXWhile the global minimum tax was always expected to bring in far more revenue, the collapse of plans to redistribute taxing rights would not come without consequences. The Biden administration backed the deal in 2021 in part because it requires other countries to abandon existing or planned digital services taxes targeting big U.S. tech groups. France, which the Trump administration hit with tariff action over its digital services tax before the Biden administration suspended it, has said that it will keep the tax in place as long as Pillar I of the deal is not resolved. Against that background, U.S. companies are eager to see progress on a multilateral solution that would get rid of unilateral digital services taxes. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told CNBC last week that the bill had little chance of passing and that the United States would get on board with the global minimum.

Persons: Peter Barnes, Biden, Trump, Megan Funkhouser, Janet Yellen, Barnes, Leigh Thomas, Christian Kraemer, David Lawder, Catherine Evans Organizations: PARIS, Google, Fiscal Association, Republican, U.S . Congress, Economic Cooperation, Development, Reuters, OECD, Information Technology Industry Council, Republicans, Treasury, CNBC, Trump, Thomson Locations: United States, Paris, France, Washington, U.S, United, Berlin

☆ Democrats warn large tech firms could evade competition policies under new trade rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

It's not the first time Democrats have raised concerns about tech provisions being included in trade agreements. The group urged Tai and Raimondo "not to put up for negotiation or discussion any digital trade text that conflicts" with the agenda set by the whole-of-government effort. "Big Tech wants to include an overly broad provision that would help large tech firms evade competition policies by claiming that such policies subject these firms to 'illegal trade discrimination,'" the Democrats wrote. "Tech companies could also weaponize these digital trade rules to undermine similar efforts by our trading partners." The letter cited a U.S. Chamber of Commerce blog post about a trade group coalition note advocating for strong digital trade provisions in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

☆ Five Chinese startups that survived a tough year of Covid lockdowns
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Qilai Shen | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesBEIJING — In a year of Covid lockdowns and travel restrictions, some Chinese startups that survived found growth online and overseas. The startup avoided significant impact from China's Covid lockdowns since it could deliver its products virtually, Jiang said. The company aggressively pushed overseas in 2022 – launching subsidiaries in Tokyo, Seoul, Germany, Dubai, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, Wan said. Previously, Wan said that Keenon had seen revenue at least double or more every year from a lower base, when the China market was growing. The company has a staff of 100 people in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong and Los Angeles, Lin said.

☆ These 20 companies are hiring a ton of tech workers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Career site Indeed put together a list with recent job posting data of the places hiring tech job seekers. Deloitte ranked at the top — with 1,774 new tech job postings per 1 million based on Indeed's data. Meta, Amazon, Twitter, Lyft, and other tech companies have recently announced layoffs. "Deloitte as a management and consulting company is doing quite well right now, and they need tech workers," Dobroski said. "They're not traditional tech companies, but they really assist and support and consult so many other companies that are trying to up level their tech presence," Dobroski said about the top three.

☆ How Silicon Valley could be impacted by a Republican-controlled House
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Democrats have hammered away at online platforms’ handling of hate speech and white nationalism, while promoting legislation that could drastically affect the business models of big tech companies. The return of heated tech CEO hearingsIn general, tech companies may face more political noise with a Republican House but potentially less policy risk. With Republicans likely to take control of the House, tech companies could face more hearings, but not necessarily more legislation. Privacy legislationMultiple Congress-watchers told CNN that support for federal privacy legislation is still bipartisan and the area remains one of a handful where lawmakers could make progress in the next Congress. It was approved by a key House committee this year and policy analysts say it could see more opportunities to advance next year.

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