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☆ 'Succession' fans are reading into which characters use an iPhone or an Android, and think it could hint at how the show will end
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Fans are looking for easter eggs in "Succession" protagonists' clothing and accessories. Apple has been said to not want on-screen villains using iPhones, sparking theories about Tom's Android. Fans are dissecting the tiniest details from the show for hints about how the series will end. On the HBO show "Succession," where the fortunes of protagonists can shift every episode, fans are looking everywhere — in wardrobe choices and in accessories — for clues about their favorite characters' ultimate fates. Fans have also been reading into Kendall's moments in water — in a bathtub, pool, or the open water — for signs of what's next for Logan's "number one boy."

☆ TikTok had a 'list' of users who viewed LGBTQ posts — raising alarm as the company faces scrutiny over ties to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

TikTok users watching posts under LGBTQ categories were visible to employees, WSJ reports. A TikTok representative told the Journal the company cut off access to that kind of data last year. The employees had access to "a list" of users, or "a dashboard" which let them learn about users who watched certain types of posts, the Wall Street journal reported. The rise of generative AI chatbots, for instance, has sparked questions about whether company employees can view users' conversation histories, and how long they're stored. There's already some appetite in the US to curb users' access to the app.

☆ Tim Cook says AI is 'huge,' but flags the need to be 'deliberate and thoughtful' on how Apple deploys it
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AI is "huge," but Apple will remain careful folding it into products, CEO Tim Cook said Thursday. Cook said Apple has already been incorporating AI technology into some of its products. "It's very important to be deliberate and thoughtful on how you approach these things," Cook said during the company's earnings call Thursday. "We view AI as huge and we'll continue weaving it in our products on a very thoughtful basis." Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has himself been among those in the field sounding concerns about the potential directions generative AI technology could take.

☆ Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers are paying a week's worth of TV writer salaries from their own pockets during the strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Late-night hosts Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon will pay staff themselves for a week of the strike. NBC is also paying staff for two weeks during this time, a source close to the shows confirmed to Insider. The writers' strike went into effect on May 2 after their contract expired without a new deal. Late-night hosts Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon — whose shows are among those on pause during the ongoing Hollywood writers' strike — have expressed support for their staff, and will personally pay them for a week. Kobos then tweeted on Wednesday that Fallon had joined their meeting that day, expressing affirmation of his support for the staff.

☆ High-skilled customer service workers given an AI assistant saw 'close to 0' boost in their productivity
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The study found AI can help lower-skilled workers “communicate more like high-skill agents.”Morning Brew Insider recommends waking up with, a daily newsletter. New research may be showing insight into what generative AI could mean for workers at different skill levels. "But, as you can imagine, it doesn't help the high-skill workers that much, because that's the stuff that they already knew." "I think that we all are beginning to see that generative AI is different from some of the earlier waves," Brynjolfsson said. But he added that generative AI could be helpful for brainstorming ideas, or for creative purposes.

☆ Cash App creator Bob Lee's autopsy shows he died of 3 stab wounds. His suspected killer's defense is pointing to drugs found in his system.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Cash App founder Bob Lee died from stab wounds that damaged his heart, a medical report reveals. Lee had himself called 911 after he was attacked in downtown San Francisco last month. The medical report states that the police officers attempted CPR when they found Lee, who had sustained wounds on his "left upper chest." (Gabrielle Lurie/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, Pool) (Gabrielle Lurie/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, Pool)Canny told reporters outside the courtroom that Lee's toxicology report would factor in the case. Representatives for the San Francisco District Attorney's office did not respond to Insider's emailed request for comment on Tuesday.

☆ What the Hollywood writers' strike could mean for your favorite TV shows, from 'Abbot Elementary' to 'Saturday Night Live'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Topical shows relying on actively scripted material, including late night, will be the most immediately affected. The strike — which was authorized by nearly 98% of Writers Guild of America members who voted last month — will most immediately impact shows that rely on active writers' rooms working on current material, including "Saturday Night Live" and late night shows. The moment may be an opportunity for reality TV producers as well as non-union productions. Some celebrities on shows likely to be impacted have addressed the possibility of the impending strike on the late night circuit. Davidson acknowledged a writer's strike might mean his "SNL" episode doesn't happen as planned and said he gained a new perspective working on the production as a prospective host.

☆ Elon Musk is paying $10,000 to settle a Tesla critic's defamation lawsuit against him
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Tesla critic said he is accepting Elon Musk's offer of $10,000 to resolve a defamation suit. Hothi had alleged the Tesla chief defamed him in an email claiming Hothi "almost killed Tesla employees." Elon Musk is settling a lawsuit filed by a Tesla critic who had accused the electric carmaker's chief executive officer of defaming him. Hothi and Tesla had been at odds for some time then, as Hothi had taken pictures of Tesla vehicles at their facility, Insider previously reported. Still, Musk around the time had then sent an email alleging that Hothi "actively harassed" Tesla employees and "almost killed" them, Hothi said.

☆ Can you delete your ChatGPT conversation history? Here's what OpenAI says happens if you disable it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In April, OpenAI said it's also giving users the choice to disable their conversation record with ChatGPT, seeking to offer more visibility and control over data. The company offers a "privacy dashboard" where users can get a sense of how their search history is used, and explore options to clear that history. The dashboard essentially allows users to "view, export, and delete stored conversation history," according to a recently updated Microsoft document entitled, "The new Bing: Our approach to Responsible AI." A note on the page says Bing uses "web search history to improve your search experience by showing you suggestions as you type, providing personalized results, and more." "We also provide users with transparency and control over their search data via the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard," the representative said.

☆ Amazon is spending less on warehouses — and more on AI and its cloud business
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon signaled its commitment to AI investment amid a surge of interest in the technology. Amazon plans to build "the world's best personal assistant," CEO Andy Jassy told analysts Thursday. "And we are adding more dollars for large language models and generative AI." Amazon CEO Andy Jassy echoed the company's commitment to AI, saying the e-commerce giant would be among the few companies to prioritize developing large language models, the technology behind generative AI tools like chatbots. "If you look at the really significant leading large language models, they take many years to build, and many billions of dollars to build," he told analysts Thursday.

☆ Disney's lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis has teeth, legal experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Disney's lawsuit accused Florida officials of infringing on its constitutional rights. Ron DeSantis culminated in a stunning lawsuit on Wednesday, where the entertainment giant said state officials retaliated against it, citing a lawmaker who said "You kick the hornet's nest, things come up." Schultz said Disney could even seek in the lawsuit to depose DeSantis, who is widely expected to run for president. It targets The Walt Disney Company." The position articulated by state officials — including that the bill's focus extends beyond Disney — shows Disney will likely keep drawing on more pointed material to support its retaliation claims, said Schutz.

Disney alleges that DeSantis tried to "weaponize government power" over the company. It alleges that DeSantis' continued action against Disney "threatens Disney's business operations." Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, alleging that he tried to "weaponize government power" over the company. As retaliation to the Disney executives' pledges, DeSantis took aim at a decades-long provision that gives Disney special self-governing privileges in Florida. Unlike rival parks Universal Studios and Sea World, Disney doesn't have to run their plans by zoning commissions or building-inspection departments.

☆ Check out these ultra-realistic masks of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg that cost $20,000 a piece and a month to make
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Landon Meier is the artist behind realistic masks of tech figures like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. The digital artist Beeple showed the masks at an event this month during the NFT conference in New York. It seemed the likes of Andy Warhol, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had all at once taken the spotlight together. The masks themselves were made by Denver, Colorado-based artist Landon Meier, who meticulously crafts the life-like visages, Beeple tweeted. Landon Meier.

☆ An ex-Apple designer showed off a futuristic AI device that projects phone calls onto your hand
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new device by Humane can project phone calls onto the palm of a hand. In a video of the event that Ali shared with Insider, Chaudhri's talk appeared to be interrupted by the insistent chime of a call. But instead of reaching for a device in his pocket, Chaudhri simply turned over his hand to gaze at his palm. A representative for TED indicated that the video that Ali shared was likely captured from a livestream. "Humane will be releasing further details on how the device works in the coming months," a company spokesperson told Insider.

☆ CEO says many of his remote workers didn't open their laptops for a month, and 'only the rarest of full-time caregivers' can be productive employees
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Clearlink CEO James Clarke said remote workers "quietly quit" and didn't open laptops in a month, Vice reported. A representative didn't address the remarks, but said Clarke "could not be more excited" for the company. Clearlink's CEO James Clarke reportedly told employees that he believed many remote workers have "quietly quit" and become so brazen that dozens at his company "didn't even open" their laptops for a month. "And those were all remote employees, including their manager — for a whole month." Clearlink is a private company with 800 employees, a company representative told Insider.

☆ An AI researcher that Elon Musk hired was arrested in a domestic violence case
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk's new AI researcher Igor Babuschkin was arrested in March in a domestic violence case. Musk reportedly hired Babuschkin as part of a push to develop a competitor to OpenAI's ChatGPT. The case involved "a minor injury," but did not otherwise pose a threat to public safety, Philip told Insider. Babuschkin was arrested at 588 Webster Street, according to a police report log posted last month on the Palo Alto Police Department's website. Musk has also brought on resources including roughly 10,000 graphics processing units to execute his AI plans, Insider previously reported.

☆ Shaq was finally served in FTX lawsuit over the weekend, after a 3-month chase
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Will Gendron | Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Shaquille O'Neal was finally served in an FTX lawsuit over the weekend following a three month chase. Shaquille O'Neal was served papers over the weekend in a lawsuit involving the fallen crypto firm FTX — after a three month chase, according to a law firm representing investors in the suit. "Plaintiffs in the billion $ FTX class action case just served @SHAQ outside his house," The Moskowitz Law Firm tweeted Sunday night. O'Neal had evaded getting served the lawsuit for three months, according to additional tweets from the law firm. Following the collapse of FTX, O'Neal tried to separate himself from the fiasco, noting to CNBC that he was "just a paid spokesperson."

☆ Elon Musk has registered X.AI in Nevada and is reportedly talking to SpaceX and Tesla investors about backing his planned AI startup
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk is reportedly planning an AI startup amid the chatbot craze kicked off by OpenAI's ChatGPT. He is talking to Tesla and SpaceX investors about backing the startup, FT reported. Musk has recruited AI experts and obtained graphics processing units, Insider previously reported. Musk did not respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his Tesla and SpaceX email addresses. Insider's Kali Hays has also previously reported that Musk has brought on artificial intelligence experts, and obtained roughly 10,000 graphics processing units.

☆ The tech consultant charged with murdering Bob Lee listed UC Berkeley as one of his schools. The university says it doesn't have a record of him.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

But there's no record of him going there, a representative for the school told Insider. Momeni was arrested on Thursday over the murder of Cash App founder Bob Lee in San Francisco. But a representative for UC Berkeley told Insider that they couldn't find records that a Nima Momeni went to the elite institution. "We do not have a match for that name, meaning no record of graduation or attendance," the representative told Insider. Momeni also started the IT consulting company Expand IT, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

☆ Tech consultant Nima Momeni's attorney is on vacation, delaying a court date in the case of Bob Lee's killing
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Lloyd Lee | Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Momeni's lawyer, Paula Canny, is on vacation, Canny's brother and fellow attorney told the court. The arraignment was posposted to April 25 after a brief hearing in San Francisco state court. That's because Momeni's attorney, Paula Canny, is on vacation, her brother and fellow attorney Robert Canny told the court. A representative for the San Francisco District Attorney's office did not respond to emailed requests for comment on Friday. The 38-year-old Momeni was arrested in Emeryville, California, the San Francisco police department said at a press conference on Thursday.

☆ Billionaire Barry Diller says the media should 'absolutely' sue AI makers over ingesting text from articles
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Barry Diller warned publishers to prepare to fight in order to get paid for AI's use of their work. Diller made the comments at the Semafor Media Summit in New York. "Companies can absolutely sue under copyright law," he said. "It's not clear right now to what extent that has copyright implications," Gerratana said. "It's possible we'll see court decisions that apply copyright law in ways that we wouldn't have expected, because this technology is new, the circumstances are new, and the facts are new."

☆ 130 Regal, Eastgate, and other movie theaters could close in the US — see the list of those already shuttering
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Travis Clark | Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Cineworld has sought to exit its leases for 130 theaters in the US. A bankruptcy court in Texas has already approved its plan to walk away from 47 of those locations. Cineworld filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September. So far, the Texas bankruptcy court overseeing the proceedings has approved the company's plan to exit 47 leases, according to court filings. The North American box office hit $7.4 billion in 2022, according to Comscore, down from over $11 billion in 2019 and 2018.

☆ Should you sign that severance package? Here are 5 things to consider first.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Some employees being laid off by Big Tech companies can expect generous severance packages. Employees should consider their options before signing a severance agreement, they said. Here are five things to consider when signing your severance agreement, according to labor lawyers:1. Consider what you are willing to give up in exchange for the severance paymentWhen employees accept a severance package, they're asked to give up something in exchange — like their ability to sue the company. "We have been receiving a lot of calls from workers laid off by tech companies," she said.

☆ SF police chief says there's 'evidence that we found that I can't talk about' in Bob Lee death investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The SFPD chief said Thursday there are "good developments" in the investigation, per ABC's KGO-TV. But the city's District Attorney said "this is one that's going to take time to solve," per the report. Representatives for the San Francisco police department and the city's department of emergency management did not respond to Insider's requests for comment on Friday. The San Francisco police previously said in a statement that they responded to a call regarding the attack early morning on Tuesday at 2:35 a.m. The District Attorney's office can't make a determination on bringing charges until police have concluded their investigation and made an arrest, a representative for the DA's office previously told Insider.

☆ Olaplex is losing top employees as it faces falling sales and a hair-loss lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Alex Bitter | Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Eight top Olaplex employees have left the company since October, Insider has learned. Her LinkedIn profile says she joined the online-game company Big Fish this year as vice president of people and culture. Kathy Lewis, Olaplex's vice president of education, had been on "contracted sabbatical" since December, according to her LinkedIn profile. The hair-care brand Wella said in a LinkedIn post last week that it hired Lewis as the vice president and global head of education. Olaplex grew its head count over the following year to 174 employees, according to its 10-K filing in February.

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