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☆ Biden says it remains to be seen whether AI is dangerous
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, April 4 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday said it remains to be seen whether artificial intelligence is dangerous, but he underscored that technology companies have a responsibility to ensure their products are safe before making them public. Biden told his science and technology advisers that AI could help in addressing disease and climate change, but it was also important to deal with potential risks. “Tech companies have a responsibility to make sure their products are safe before making them public,” he said at the start of a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology at the White House. When asked if AI was dangerous, he said, “It remains to be seen. Could be.”Reporting by Jeff Mason; writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 50 years ago, he made the first cell phone call
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“I’m calling you on a cell phone, but a real cell phone, a personal, handheld, portable cell phone,” Cooper, then an engineer at Motorola, said on the phone to Joel Engel, head of AT&T-owned Bell Labs. “I was not surprised that everybody has a cell phone,” Cooper, now 94, told CNN. Today, 97% of Americans own a cell phone of some kind, according to a 2021 study by Pew Research Center. I know there are disadvantages to the cell phone. “Overall, I think the cell phone has changed humanity for the better and that will continue in the future.”

☆ Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt says those in AI industry have to 'make sure' the technology 'doesn't harm but just helps'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Sarah Al-Arshani | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AI Technology has advanced rapidly and gained popularity in recent years. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt told ABC News the technology has promise, but there are concerns. He said the industry has to work to find "guardrails" to prevent negative impacts on democracy. Schmidt, who was Google's CEO from 2001 to 2011 and the company's executive chairman from 2011 to 2015, laid out the promise and peril of AI technology during the interview. The tech leader said the entire industry needs to come together to figure out appropriate "guardrails" because the technology is only going to get bigger.

☆ Millennials Pay for a Dose of ’90s Nostalgia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Madeleine Aggeler | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The top floor of the sprawling complex looked like the pages of a ’90s issue of “Teen Beat” had come to life. Of course, it wasn’t exactly like “Teen Beat.” Mr. Fatone, 46, was talking about his children; Mr. Kirkpatrick, 51, was recovering from shoulder surgery; and Ms. Hart, 46, was filming TikToks. (Also, “Teen Beat” stopped publishing years ago.) The stars of the ’90s had grown up. “People are feeling nostalgic about better times,” said Liliana Kligman, 38, one of the founders of That’s 4 Entertainment, the company behind 90s Con.

☆ Google reshuffles virtual assistant unit with focus on Bard A.I. technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Google is reshuffling the reporting structure of its virtual assistant unit — called Assistant — to focus more on Bard, the company's new artificial intelligence chat technology. In a memo to employees on Wednesday, titled "Changes to Assistant and Bard teams," Sissie Hsiao, vice president and lead of Google Assistant's business unit, announced changes to the organization that show the unit heavily prioritizing Bard. Mao held the position of vice president of engineering for Google Assistant and "helped shape the Assistant we have today," Hsiao wrote. As part of Wednesday's change, Google Assistant engineering vice president Amar Subramanya will now lead engineering for the Bard team, the email said. Trevor Strohman, who previously led engineering efforts for Bard, will continue as an “Area Tech Lead” for Bard, reporting to Hsiao.

☆ Wall St Week Ahead Strength in megacap stocks masks broader U.S. market woes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Lewis Krauskopf | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A recent pullback in U.S. bond yields, whose ascent punished growth stocks last year, is also buoying their prices in 2023. Megacaps' growing market capitalization means indexes such as the S&P 500 are increasingly driven by a smaller cluster of stocks. The weight of the top five S&P 500 companies has rebounded to 21.7% from 18.8% for the top five stocks at the end of 2022. The S&P 500 energy sector (.SPNY) is down 7.5% since March 8, while the industrials sector (.SPLRCI) is off 5%. In turn, he said, that likely means "the big-cap growth stocks will be the ones who lead from here."

☆ Norfolk Southern CEO told that railroads' planned voluntary safety improvements aren't enough
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw returns to Capitol Hill Wednesday facing pressure to support rail safety legislation proposed in the wake of his railroad’s massive toxic spill from a February 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. “We support legislative efforts to enhance the safety of the freight rail industry,” was the only discussion of the legislation in his prepared remarks. Shaw said the railroad would support increasing fines and penalties for people found tampering with railroad facilities and safety equipment, without endorsing proposals for potential fines on railroads found guilty of safety violations. They said residents who live near freight rail tracks can’t depend on the railroad’s voluntary measures to improve safety. Vance said it is important to raise the maximum fine for rail safety violations from the current limit of $225,455.

☆ China may prefer TikTok to be banned than fall into US hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

TikTok’s algorithms, which keep users glued to the app, are believed to be key to its success. The intended sale of TikTok in 2020 to Oracle and Walmart hit a snag after Beijing added algorithms to its export control list. Under the plans, known as Project Texas, the US government and third-party companies such as Oracle would also have some degree of oversight of TikTok’s data practices. But that hasn’t reassured US officials, likely because no matter what TikTok does internally, China would still theoretically have leverage over TikTok’s Chinese owners. But, he believes Beijing would ultimately prefer for TikTok leave the US market rather than surrender its algorithm.

☆ Credit Suisse's investment bankers are so concerned about cuts, employees are being told to look for new jobs. 'They encouraged it.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Carter Johnson | Casey Sullivan | Dakin Campbell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The fate of Credit Suisse's investment bank hangs in the balance after being sold to UBS. The investment bank's planned spinoff has been put on hold and bankers are bracing for job cuts. People said they expect Credit Suisse's planned spinoff of its investment banking operations, announced last year, to be scuttled. Over at 11 Madison Ave., where Credit Suisse's NY operations are headquartered, emotions were running hot on Monday. Now, the proposed CS First Boston deal hangs in the balance, with both industry experts and Credit Suisse employees uncertain whether it will go through.

☆ Microsoft tries to justify AI's tendency to give wrong answers by saying they're 'usefully wrong'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

On Tuesday, Google announced it was bringing AI-powered chat technology to Gmail and Google Docs, letting it help composing emails or documents. On Thursday, Microsoft said that its popular business apps like Word and Excel would soon come bundled with ChatGPT-like technology dubbed Copilot. But this time, Microsoft is pitching the technology as being "usefully wrong." Microsoft chief scientist and technical fellow Jaime Teevan said that when Copilot "gets things wrong or has biases or is misused," Microsoft has "mitigations in place." "I studied AI for decades and I feel this huge sense of responsibility with this powerful new tool," Teevan said.

☆ The US is sharing a once highly-guarded missile system that will make British and Australian nuclear submarines far more deadly
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The US, UK, and Australia on Monday announced plans for Australia to obtain a new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. The deal will involve building at least eight nuclear-powered submarines for the Australian naval fleet, using UK designs, and underpinned by a US-made vertical launch system. According to reports, the new Australian submarines will also have the capacity to fire cruise missiles through the vertical launch system. The fact that they are nuclear-powered means the submarines can operate at far greater distances, and stay submerged for longer. The new Australian submarines will begin operation in the 2040s, and the new UK subs in the 2030s.

☆ Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse ambitions are shrinking
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In a year, the metaverse went from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's obsession to rarely being mentioned. He mentioned AI four times, positioning the development of that technology as now being Meta's "single largest investment." Executives mentioned it half a dozen times during a call with Wall Street analysts, while the metaverse was not mentioned at all. It's a relief to investors and Wall Street analysts, who last year grew increasingly frustrated with Zuckerberg's once defiant tone on the massive cost of metaverse work. It's set to lose $15 billion this year and is on track to cost the company $20 billion a year going forward.

☆ The next world power will be the first to harness the power of AI, former defense official argues in new book
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Paul Scharre, a former defense official, argues AI dominance will determine the next global power. The battle for AI power will revolutionize world militaries and economies. His book, "Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," was released on February 28. In his latest book, "Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," Scharre explores how the international battle for the most powerful AI technology is changing global power dynamics. Over time, regulation in some fashion of AI technology; probably much of which will be sector-specific.

☆ Exclusive: Shenzhen bourse taps intelligence tech firm as China battles capital market fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Shenzhen Stock Exchange did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. EC Guard declined to be interviewed. The United States in 2019 placed EC Guard on its so-called entity list of companies that are subject to U.S. trade restrictions for reasons such as national security. Using that technology, EC Guard can identify relationships between users helping regulators identify potential illegal activity and also trace a company's ultimate shareholders to ensure they are legitimate owners, the person said. The Shanghai Stock Exchange, the country's largest bourse, stepped up its fight against fraud in December with a new generation of systems that supervise securities trading.

☆ Morgan Stanley: Buy these 19 stocks to profit from an investing strategy that produces positive returns 100% of the time
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Morgan Stanley sees downside for stocks and weakness for the economy on the horizon. Morgan StanleyOther economic indicators, including the Conference Board's Leading Economic Indicator, are historically weak, according to Morgan Stanley, suggesting that a recession could be coming. Morgan Stanley zeroed in on tech stocks because they've historically underperformed before the broader market bottoms but tend to significantly outperform afterward. Below are 19 tech stocks that Morgan Stanley expects to perform well after the market bottoms. These names are separate from its list of tech stocks to buy during market weakness.

☆ Fed's Barr says crypto needs 'guardrails' to realize benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Pete Schroeder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - The top regulatory official for the U.S. Federal Reserve said cryptocurrency technology still could have "potential transformative" effects on the financial system, but needs "guardrails" to realize them. Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr said recent turmoil in crypto markets make clear the sector could still pose a risk to traditional banks, but that the impact has been limited as regulators urge caution. Barr stopped short of saying banks have no role to play in crypto, but rather said regulators are busy figuring out what firms could do in the space while remaining safe and sound. He noted that technology behind crypto could make financial markets and payments systems more efficient and affordable. "Our goal is to create guardrails, while making room for innovation that can benefit consumers and the financial system more broadly," he said.

☆ Salesforce to add ChatGPT to Slack as part of OpenAI partnership
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 7 (Reuters) - Salesforce Inc (CRM.N) said on Tuesday it was working with ChatGPT creator OpenAI to add the chatbot sensation to its collaboration software Slack, as well as bring generative artificial intelligence to its business software generally. ChatGPT also would integrate with Slack to help users summarize conversation threads and handle other queries. Clara Shih, a general manager at Salesforce, said in a press briefing that the announcement responded to demand by businesses for the nascent technology. Salesforce's generative AI tools would help companies “completely reimagine how they engage with their customers,” she said. Salesforce also announced a fund to invest in generative AI startups.

☆ Factbox: Chinese chipmaking equipment manufacturers filling void left by U.S. export restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Naura's most advanced etching machine supports 55 nm and 28 nm chipmaking technology, well behind the leading edge of chip manufacturing. The firm also makes deposition machines, which apply chemicals and gases to silicon wafers throughout the chipmaking process. It produces machines that can service the 14 nm to 28 nm process nodes of its deposition machines. ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC CHINA (AMEC) (688012.SS)AMEC makes etching equipment used to remove excess material from the surface of silicon wafers. BEIJING E-TOWN SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY CO LTD (BEST)BEST produces degumming equipment used to remove photoresist chemicals during the lithography process.

☆ Let's ditch the 5-day workweek and the 8-hour workday, says a professor writing a book on how to fix work
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He thinks a shorter week and a shorter work day are overdue, and that we're heading in the right direction. People do want to work, Bruno said, but they don't want to be resentful about being there. When it comes to a shorter workweek, Bruno said, "I'm very confident it would bring people in, because what are you saying to those people? Senator Bernie Sanders is calling for a shorter workweek; Rep. Mark Takano has reintroduced his proposal to make a 32-hour workweek law in the US. Have you tried out a shorter workweek or workday?

☆ Colombia court moves to metaverse to host hearing
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Isabel Woodford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A magistrate speaks during a Colombian court hearing held in the Metaverse, February 15, 2023, in this still image taken from a social media video. Bogota?s Municipal Criminal Court 69/via REUTERSFeb 24 (Reuters) - A Colombian court this month hosted its first legal trial in the metaverse, and now hopes to experiment again with virtual reality, authorities told Reuters. At the two-hour hearing held by Colombia's Magdalena Administrative court, participants in a traffic dispute appeared as avatars in a virtual courtroom. "It felt more real than a video call," Quiones told Reuters on Friday, describing the metaverse experience as "amazing." Nonetheless, Colombia's court proceedings on Feb 15 - streamed to Youtube - went off without too much of a glitch, bar some dizzying camera movement and some distorted movements.

☆ Gary Vaynerchuk compares the rise of AI like ChatGPT to the way the internet revolutionized work: 'AI is coming for our jobs and that's ok'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Gary Vaynerchuk predicts that AI software like ChatGPT will eliminate many jobs. He's optimistic about workers' ability to rally and adapt to AI, or create new roles. That's been true to an extent about previous types of automation, but AI looks likely to impact a broader demographic of workers. Like Vaynerchuk points out, there's some reason to be optimistic long-term about the job shake ups technology can cause. But Vaynerchuk is more convinced that AI represents the status quo for automation.

Executives across the technology sector are talking about how to operate AI like ChatGPT while accounting for the high expense. What makes this form of AI pricier than conventional search is the computing power involved. Still, footing the bill is one of two main reasons why search and social media giants with billions of users have not rolled out an AI chatbot overnight, said Paul Daugherty, Accenture's chief technology officer. Technology experts also said a workaround is applying smaller AI models to simpler tasks, which Alphabet is exploring. The company said this month a "smaller model" version of its massive LaMDA AI technology will power its chatbot Bard, requiring "significantly less computing power, enabling us to scale to more users."

☆ Analysis: How North Korea could use a Pacific 'firing range' to perfect its missiles
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) on Monday, after firing a massive Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Saturday. So far North Korea has fired three variants of the Hwasong-12 intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean. "As soon as it is out of range, or if it crosses below the horizon, North Korea will be blind." Schiller said he is not aware of any tracking vessels that North Korea positions along the flight path, and for now it doesn't have data relay satellites. If those two conditions are met, then North Korea will have fully demonstrated its deterrence capability against the United States, he said.

☆ We asked 4 expert tech investors how to invest in AI without getting sucked in by the hype. Here's what they told us.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Marley Jay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Insider spoke to four tech fund managers about their ideas and approaches to the theme. This year, Open AI's ChatGPT has attracted even more hype — and much more money — as Microsoft invested $10 billion in Open AI. "Fads and themes are really common in technology," mutual fund manager Matthew Moberg told Insider. "A lot of the leading AI companies are using Cloudflare today, and we think that will increase." Michael Loukas is the CEO of TrueMark Investments, which launched its Tech, AI, and Deep Learning ETF three years ago.

☆ Fake ChatGPT tokens are flooding the market as crypto scammers take advantage of the AI craze
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Fake ChatGPT-branded tokens are hitting the market as scammers aim to capitalize on the AI tool's popularity. One issuer has created "dozens of tokens with a pump & dump scheme," said blockchain security firm PeckShield. The tech heavyweight worked with OpenAI, the nonprofit that created ChatGPT, to bring that technology to its search tool. "Deployer 0xb583 has already created dozens of tokens with a pump & dump scheme," PeckShield said, referring to an issuer's wallet address. Meanwhile, tokens carrying the ChatGPT name totaled 170 in a search on crypto trading platform DEXTools on Tuesday.

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