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☆ Microsoft is bringing ChatGPT technology to Word, Excel and Outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Microsoft on Thursday outlined its plans to bring artificial intelligence to its most recognizable productivity tools, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and Word, with the promise of changing how millions do their work every day. The new features, which are built on the same technology that underpins ChatGPT, are far more powerful (and less anthropomorphized) than its wide-eyed, paperclip-shaped predecessor. Microsoft is also introducing a concept called Business Chat, an agent that essentially rides along with the user as they work and tries to understand and make sense of their Microsoft 365 data. During a presentation to its customers on Thursday, Microsoft outlined its road map for how it plans to bring artificial intelligence to its Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, Excel and Word. A Microsoft spokesperson said 365 users accessing the new AI tools should be reminded the technology is a work in progress and information will need to be double checked.

☆ Texas abortion pill case: Lawyers requesting mifepristone’s removal from market concede there’s no precedent
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Michelle Mark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Texas lawsuit has demanded that the judge revoke the FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. The group alleged in their lawsuit that the FDA approved an "unsafe" drug back in 2000. During Wednesday's hearing, The Washington Post and Associated Press reported that all parties acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the Alliance Defending Freedom's demand. The attorney representing the Alliance Defending Freedom, Erik Baptist, responded, "No, I can't." Drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol have been thrown into the spotlight ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June.

☆ The Next Frontier in Farming? The Ocean.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Somini Sengupta | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

For centuries, it’s been treasured in kitchens in Asia and neglected almost everywhere else: Those glistening ribbons of seaweed that bend and bloom in cold ocean waves. Far beyond South Korea, new farms have cropped up in Maine, the Faroe Islands, Australia, even the North Sea. But even as its champions see it as a miracle crop for a hotter planet, others worry that the zeal to farm the ocean could replicate some of the same damages of farming on land. “Seaweed is not going to replace all plastic, but seaweed combined with other things can tackle single use plastic,” he said. Seaweed farms are a far cry from the rows of corn and wheat that make up monoculture farming on land.

Yields on Treasury bonds, meanwhile, increased as investors discounted the likelihood that the Fed would shy away from further rate increases. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation is running at almost three times the central bank's target. Important aspects of both reports, however, moved in the favor of a more tempered Fed policy. Wage growth continued to slow in February, and much of the jump in prices last month was driven by the cost of shelter, an area where Fed officials feel inflation will soon prove to be slowing. "The Fed can support liquidity in the banking system and tighten monetary policy at the same time," Sweet said.

☆ I tried 4 of the best AI productivity tools for a week to make my job easier, but they just made my life harder
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Labor experts agree that AI tools can make workers more productive. Insider's Aaron Mok tested 4 AI tools for a week to see if they can boost productivity. Many experts agree that AI tools can boost productivity, and people have already used ChatGPT and other AI tools to generate articles, write code, and produce real estate listings in attempts to save time. We wanted to put some of these AI productivity tools to the test. AI tools will not do your job, but they can make it easier if you spend time learning how to use themAfter playing with these tools for a week, I realized that there's a learning curve.

☆ Silicon Valley Bank imploded in a single day. It could just be the tip of the iceberg.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The Federal Reserve's prolonged period of low interest rates created many financial dislocations that are now flaring up. Case in point: Silicon Valley Bank imploded in a single day after surging interest rates caused it to sell a bond portfolio at a huge loss. The chaotic episode showed that the Fed's aggressive interest rate hiking regime could upend institutions that were once thought to be relatively stable. Since the Fed started raising interest rates in March 2021, bitcoin — formerly a highly touted inflation hedge — has plunged more than 65%. "Investors, smelling blood, then turn their attention to the next bank exposed to interest rate risk and specific credit risk, and then the next."

☆ Trump cannot exclude 'Access Hollywood' tape from rape accuser's trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | Industry Insight | What A Law Firm Client Development Manager Says About Client Listening Programs | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Carroll sought to introduce an excerpt from the tape, which was recorded in 2005 and where Trump boasted about forcing himself on women, as evidence that Trump had a propensity for sexual assaults comparable to hers. In the "Access Hollywood" excerpt, Trump graphically described his unsuccessful attempt to have a sexual encounter with a married woman, and described himself as being attracted to beautiful women. The tape was released in October 2016 and threatened to upend Trump's White House run. Kaplan also rejected Trump's bid to exclude testimony from two other women who claimed he sexually assaulted them, and evidence that Carroll suffered emotional harm. The cases are Carroll v. Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, Nos.

☆ House conservatives issue new list of demands that could upend debt ceiling talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Christina Wilkie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — A powerful bloc of U.S. House conservatives on Friday issued new demands that they said must be met before they would agree to vote to raise the debt ceiling. The demands go well beyond what other House Republicans have said they want, and threaten to upend talks later this year on a vote to raise the debt ceiling, currently set at $31.4 trillion. But he has left open the possibility of winning support in the House for a debt ceiling hike through negotiations on next year's federal budget. The 182-page document is widely viewed as the White House's opening salvo in the debate with House Republicans. House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Jody Arrington, R-Texas, said Friday at the Ways and Means hearing that his committee's budget process had been delayed by the administration's timing.

☆ How to invest in new AI technologies like ChatGPT, DALL-E, and more: Wall Street analysts weigh in
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Business Insider | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Wall Street is taking note, as analysts pick their favorite AI stocks to buy now for profits later. Students are using ChatGPT to write papers, job seekers are using it to write cover letters, and some employees are even surreptitiously using the AI chatbot to do their jobs for them. ChatGPT is just the tip of the spear, as AI seems poised to upend industries around the globe. Bank of America analysts predict that the AI industry will be worth $900 billion by 2026. Luckily, Insider has been collecting research notes, interviewing analysts, and investigating which stocks will enjoy the biggest returns from the explosive growth of AI.

☆ Ken Griffin just keeps winning
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

No, 4.1 billion represents the number of dollars Ken Griffin made from his hedge fund, Citadel, in 2022 alone. Griffin made more money in one hour than the average American makes in their lifetime! Oh, and one more thing: That's not even all the money Griffin earned in 2022! I've said before you could make the case for Griffin being the most powerful person on Wall Street. And check out this fascinating profile from Insider's Dakin Campbell on Ken Griffin.

☆ Supreme Court signals it could sidestep ruling in major elections case
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Lawrence Hurley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday sought additional briefings in a major elections case from North Carolina, signaling it could sidestep a ruling on a broad theory that could upend election law nationwide. The brief court order asked the parties involved to file new court papers on the impact of recent actions by the North Carolina Supreme Court. The case before the justices, argued in December, concerns whether the North Carolina Supreme Court had the authority last year to throw out Republican-drawn congressional districts. Since then, the North Carolina Supreme Court has flipped from Democratic to Republican control and the new majority has moved to revisit some of the earlier rulings. Oral arguments in the North Carolina court are scheduled for March 14.

☆ Hacked Washington law firm fights SEC subpoena in effort to protect attorney-client privilege
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

People exit the headquarters of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Washington, D.C., May 12, 2021. Covington & Burling has more than 700 lawyers in Washington, D.C., where the international firm has built a reputation of working with regulators rather than fighting them. "The SEC's subpoena turns advocate into informant, conscripting Covington as a source for investigative leads against its own clients," the firm said in a filing. Covington remains unyielding in its opposition, and the firm is getting a hefty dose of support from its legal peers. Officials have said cooperation and support from the private sector, ranging from small businesses to top law firms, is a critical part of law enforcement's efforts to protect U.S. interests.

☆ The road to Tesla's first Mexico factory
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Brendan O'Boyle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

2022June 13: News outlet Electrek reports that Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk told workers the company is considering sites in Canada and Mexico for a new factory. Feb. 8: Lopez Obrador says Nuevo Leon and Hidalgo states could be home to a new Tesla plant. Feb. 17: Ebrard says Tesla will soon confirm it has chosen Mexico as a location for a new plant. Feb. 24 and 27: Musk and Lopez Obrador speak in calls as Mexico and Tesla near investment deal. Reporting by Mexico City Newsroom; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ How the Supreme Court could re-shape the internet as you know it
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Nearly 30 years of protectionsA view of the U.S. Supreme Court on February 21, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Supreme Court isn't the only one reviewing Section 230; Congress and the White House have also proposed changes to the law, though legislation to update Section 230 has consistently stalled. For skeptics of the tech industry, and critics of social media platforms, more lawsuits would imply more opportunities to hold tech companies accountable. Allowing the courts to scrutinize the tech industry more would bring it in line with other industries, some have argued. Even a 'like' could trigger a lawsuitLiability could also extend to individual internet users.

☆ Galaxies spotted by Webb telescope rewrite understanding of early universe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

These galaxies, one of which appears to have a mass rivaling our Milky Way but 30 times more densely packed, seem to differ in fundamental ways from those populating the universe today. "The leading theory is that an ocean of dark matter filled the early universe after the Big Bang," Labbe said. "This dark matter - we don't know what it is actually is - started out really smooth, with only the tiniest of ripples. These ripples grew over time due to gravity and eventually the dark matter started to collect in concentrated clumps, dragging hydrogen gas along for the ride. "Their explosion set off the chain of events that formed subsequent generations of stars," Labbe said.

Worldwide boy-band sensation BTS may be on hiatus, but refreshing new financial acts threaten to upend the world of K-pop, and perhaps South Korea. The battle over 28-year-old SM Entertainment, the $2.3 billion force behind Girls' Generation and EXO, is at heart a family feud. It helps, too, that K-pop has turned into one of South Korea’s strongest exports, thanks largely to “Butter” and “Dynamite” singers BTS. "We oppose all aggressive outside mergers and acquisitions, including Hybe," SM said in a statement, according to Reuters. Separately, internet conglomerate Kakao said on Feb. 7 it would acquire a 9.05% stake in SM via 112 billion won of new shares and 105 billion won of convertible bonds.

☆ Microsoft Gets an Early Taste of Search’s Dark Side
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Microsoft unveiled a new version of its Bing search engine at an event earlier this month. Actual honeymoons have lasted longer than this. Microsoft took the tech world by storm on Feb. 7, when it revealed a new version of its Bing search engine powered by the ChatGPT technology that was introduced to the public less than three months earlier and had already run up an estimated 100 million unique users. The company boldly claimed it was looking to upend the search market that rival Google has owned for nearly two decades. Much of the tech press that flew to Microsoft’s headquarters near Seattle for the unveiling seemed keen on the idea, with many claiming that search had “changed forever.”

☆ Generative AI Helping Boost Productivity of Some Software Developers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Belle Lin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

The technology, known as generative AI, has been pioneered by OpenAI, the lab behind the ChatGPT writing system and the Dall-E visual illustration generator. Copilot, as well as other tools from Amazon.com Inc., International Business Machines Corp. , and startups like Tabnine Inc. and Magic AI Inc., have quickly found a receptive audience among developers seeking a productivity boost. The AI model behind Copilot is trained on data from GitHub, which houses a popular open-source community where developers contribute and share code. Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CIO Journal The Morning Download delivers daily insights and news on business technology from the CIO Journal team. And, with a tightening economy in mind, Hyland Software is holding back on spending for any new tools or technologies.

☆ Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in Google case with potential to upend the internet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Supreme Court on Tuesday is set to hear oral arguments in the first of two cases this week with the potential to reshape how online platforms handle speech and content moderation. The oral arguments on Tuesday are for a case known as Gonzalez v. Google, which zeroes in on whether the tech giant can be sued because of its subsidiary YouTube’s algorithmic promotion of terrorist videos on its platform. The allegation seeks to carve out content recommendations so that they do not receive protections under Section 230, a federal law that has for decades largely protected websites from lawsuits over user-generated content. If successful, it could expose tech platforms to an array of new lawsuits and may reshape how social media companies run their services. On Wednesday, the Court will hear arguments in a second case, Twitter v. Taamneh.

☆ ChatGPT launches boom in AI-written e-books on Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Greg Bensinger | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

In the edition, Sammy the Squirrel, crudely rendered also using AI, learns from his forest friends about saving money after happening upon a gold coin. While that may not sound like much, it is enough to inspire him to compose other books using the software. There were over 200 e-books in Amazon’s Kindle store as of mid-February listing ChatGPT as an author or co-author, including "How to Write and Create Content Using ChatGPT," "The Power of Homework" and poetry collection "Echoes of the Universe." There is even a new sub-genre on Amazon: Books about using ChatGPT, written entirely by ChatGPT. In the video, White says anyone with the wherewithal and time could create 300 such books a year, all using AI.

Circuit Court of Appeals relied on another law, called Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, that protects internet companies from liability for content posted by their users. This case marks the first time the Supreme Court will examine the scope of Section 230. Many websites and social media companies use similar technology to give users relevant content such as job listings, search engine results, songs and movies. Legal experts note that companies could employ other legal defenses if Section 230 protections are eroded. Many conservatives have said voices on the right are censored by social media companies under the guise of content moderation.

☆ Premarket stocks: How oil and gas companies think about their shareholders
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Two days later, a report found that the soaring energy prices could push 141 million people worldwide into extreme poverty. High prices have swelled profits for energy companies, leaving them flush with cash. Commitment to shareholders has certainly helped bolster stock prices — the S&P 500 ended 2022 down nearly 20%, while the energy sector grew by about 60%. And how do companies navigate appeasing shareholders who want immediate profit while also thinking about ways to invest in sustainable energy? GDP, inflation and retail earnings: What investors are watching this week▸ Investors have a busy week of new data readings ahead of them.

The Supreme Court for the first time in this case is scrutinizing the scope of a much-debated 1996 federal law called Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects internet companies from liability for content posted by their users. "These are not like the nine greatest experts on the internet," liberal Justice Elena Kagan said of the court's members, eliciting laughter in the courtroom. Kagan and conservative colleague Justice Brett Kavanaugh both suggested Congress might be better suited to adjust legal protections for internet companies if warranted. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts questioned whether Section 230 should apply given that recommendations are provided by YouTube itself. President Joe Biden's administration urged the Supreme Court to revive the lawsuit by Nohemi Gonzalez's family.

☆ Two Supreme Court cases this week could upend the entire internet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington CNN —The Supreme Court is set to hear back-to-back oral arguments this week in two cases that could significantly reshape online speech and content moderation. The closely watched cases, known as Gonzalez v. Google and Twitter v. Taamneh, carry significant stakes for the wider internet. Many Republican officials allege that Section 230 gives social media platforms a license to censor conservative viewpoints. In recent years, however, several Supreme Court justices have shown an active interest in Section 230, and have appeared to invite opportunities to hear cases related to the law. The Court last month delayed a decision on whether to hear those cases, asking instead for the Biden administration to submit its views.

☆ Big rainmakers on Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

But while that means many Wall Street pros are technically off but in reality, glued to their Slack, WhatsApp, and work email, our team is actually not working today. So if you're looking for some great finance reads, look no further. ChatGPT could upend jobs across Wall Street. Wall Street's big rainmakers: In 2022, top investment banks still pushed blockbuster deals over the line during what was a tough year for M&A. We rounded up the 20 powerhouse bankers who orchestrated the biggest deals of 2022.

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