DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ White House says no change to official TikTok policy after Biden campaign joins platform amid security concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Donald Judd | Michael Williams | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —The White House on Monday said there are no changes regarding the administration’s long-standing security concerns over TikTok after the President Joe Biden made his campaign debut on the platform Sunday night. In a follow-up exchange with Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary said she was not aware the campaign planned to launch a TikTok account ahead of Sunday. But there are security concerns around the popular video app, which is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese technology company. To date, the US government has provided no specific evidence that the Chinese government has accessed US TikTok user data. Both the Trump and Biden administrations have been somewhat aligned on their national security concerns pertaining to TikTok.

Persons: Joe Biden, John Kirby, ” Kirby, Karine Jean, Pierre, …, ”, Biden, Kelce ”, Travis Kelce, Jason, “, Travis Kelce’s, Taylor Swift, “ Trump, Biden’s, Brandon, Swift, TikTok, it’s, Trump Organizations: Washington CNN, National Security, White House, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Biden, ByteDance, Texas, Trump, Foreign Investment Locations: Biden’s, Chinese, China, United States

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's 2024 campaign is now on TikTok, even though he has expressed national security concerns over the platform and banned it on federal devices. Biden in 2022 banned the use of TikTok by the federal government’s nearly 4 million employees on devices owned by its agencies, with limited exceptions for law enforcement, national security and security research purposes. A law implemented by China in 2017 requires companies to give the government any personal data relevant to the country’s national security. Biden's campaign maintains a presence on Meta's Threads, Instagram, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and Truth Social, the platform backed by Republican front-runner Donald Trump. The campaign and the White House have also stepped up outreach to social media influencers who they believe can amplify the president's message.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Biden isn't, Taylor Swift, ByteDance, Biden, TikTok, Donald Trump Organizations: WASHINGTON, FBI, Federal Communications Commission, Foreign Investment, Twitter, Republican Locations: United States, China

☆ Masayoshi Son made $72 billion betting on Jack Ma's Alibaba. Now he wants to do it again with AI.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewMasayoshi Son owes much of his success to an incredibly prescient dot-com era bet on Alibaba. The SoftBank chief first invested $20 million in Jack Ma's ecommerce upstart in 2000, when it was just a year old. That faith was handsomely rewarded, with SoftBank realizing an incredible $72 billion gain on its investments in Alibaba over the course of 23 years. Arm and the Vision Funds collectively represent 70% of SoftBank’s net asset value, a key performance indicator that reflects the total value of its holdings. Arm, SoftBank's latest golden child, is on course to deliver, but there is still much work to be done to get the Vision Funds back on track.

Persons: —, Jack Ma's ecommerce, Ma, Son, Masayoshi Son's, Jack Ma, Alibaba, ChatGPT, Yoshimitsu Goto, SoftBank, Uber, Sam Altman, he'll Organizations: Service, Business, Future Publishing, Vision, Apple, Google, Nvidia, Samsung, Nasdaq, Funds Locations: Alibaba, China, British, London

☆ Former TikTok executive sues the company for alleged gender and age discrimination
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —A former TikTok senior executive is suing the company alleging that she experienced discrimination based on her age and gender during her three years working for the company. Puris also alleges the company inadequately responded after she says she reported having been sexually harassed at an event she attended for work. TikTok told Puris she had been fired for “performance reasons,” according to the complaint. Puris’ lawsuit is not the first time the social media giant has come under fire for alleged discrimination. “In addition, after Ms. Puris’ protected complaints, TikTok began minimizing her in the Company and important decisions affecting her team were made without her input,” the complaint states.

Persons: New York CNN —, Katie Puris, Puris, TikTok, ”, Puris “, “, Shou Chew, Chew Organizations: New, New York CNN, TikTok, Court, US, Employment, Commission, Black, CNN, Opportunity Commission, Facebook, Google, Company, Cannes Lion, Business Solutions Locations: New York, Southern, York, TikTok, United States, China

☆ Ex-TikTok executive says she was fired because she 'lacked the docility and meekness' required of women at the company
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewAn ex-managing director at TikTok has accused the company behind the popular social media app and its China-based owner of unlawfully firing her because the corporate big-wigs deemed she "lacked the docility and meekness" required of women working there. "Zhang and other corporate executives determined that Ms. Puris lacked the docility and meekness specifically required of female employees," the complaint says. "By the second quarter of 2021, it became very evident that Ms. Puris was on Lidong Zhang's 'kill list,'" the lawsuit says. "Part of Lidong Zhang's 'kill list' approach was to build a case against any employee he placed on the list and instruct other employees to do the same."

Persons: —, Katie Ellen Puris, Lidong Zhang, ByteDance, Puris, United States —, Zhang, TikTok, Marjorie Mesidor, Monica Hincken Organizations: Service, Business, TikTok's New, TikTok Inc, Google, Facebook, Cannes Lions, Cannes Lion Locations: TikTok, China, New York, Beijing, TikTok's New York, United States, France, Lidong

☆ China's Bytedance says Zhang Nan resigns as Douyin Group's CEO
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

On Wednesday, Bytedance, the owner of TikTok, announced the resignation of Zhang Nan from the position of CEO of Douyin Group, the sister app of the popular short video platform in China. TikTok owner Bytedance said on Wednesday that Zhang Nan has resigned as the CEO of Douyin Group, the popular short video platform's sister app in China. Zhang posted on her personal social media account on WeChat that she was resigning from the position, in a move confirmed by ByteDance. Zhang, who has worked at ByteDance for 10 years, has been a core leader for the company and helped grow Douyin into the leading short video platform and one of biggest apps in China. She reported to ByteDance's CEO Liang Rubo in her position as head of Douyin Group.

Persons: Zhang Nan, Bytedance, Zhang, ByteDance, Liang Rubo Organizations: Douyin Group, ByteDance Locations: Bytedance, China, ByteDance

☆ AI lobbying spikes nearly 200% as calls for regulation surge
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Hayden Field | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The spike in AI lobbying comes amid growing calls for AI regulation and the Biden administration's push to begin codifying those rules. Until 2017, the number of organizations that reported AI lobbying stayed in the single digits, per the analysis, but the practice has grown slowly but surely in the years since, exploding in 2023. The data showed a range of industries as new entrants to AI lobbying: Chip companies like AMD and TSMC , venture firms like Andreessen Horowitz, biopharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca, conglomerates like Disney and AI training data companies like Appen. Organizations that reported lobbying on AI issues last year also typically lobby the government on a range of other issues. In its Request for Information, the Institute specifically asked responders to weigh in on developing responsible AI standards, AI red-teaming, managing the risks of generative AI and helping to reduce the risk of "synthetic content" (i.e., misinformation and deepfakes).

Persons: OpenSecrets, Biden, ByteDance, Andreessen Horowitz, government's, — CNBC's Mary Catherine Wellons, Megan Cassella Organizations: CNBC, Spotify, Samsung, Nvidia, Big Tech, AMD, U.S . Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards, Technology, NIST Locations: U.S

The pay data includes salaries ranging from a data scientist position that offers $170,000 per year at Discord to a staff engineer role that earns $250,000 or more at Patreon. AdvertisementHere are the annual salaries for a job at FaZe Clan:Legal Counsel: $142,273 median starting range; from $133,308 to $194,437FaZe Clan did not respond to BI's request for comment. At LTK, a senior software engineer would make $130,000Courtesy of LTKLTK, formerly known as RewardStyle, is an affiliate-marketing and social-commerce platform used by influencers across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. At Teachable, a level II senior software engineer would make $190,000Teachable is a platform where creators can build and sell online courses and coaching programs. Here are annual salary ranges for several jobs at Teachable:Data Analyst : $69,826 to $85,000: $69,826 to $85,000 Senior Software Engineer : $160,000 to $180,000: $160,000 to $180,000 Senior Software Engineer - Core : $150,000 to $170,000: $150,000 to $170,000 Senior Software Engineer II : $190,000: $190,000 Software Engineer: $125,000 to $135,000Teachable did not respond to BI's request for comment.

Persons: upstarts, we're, Justin Kenna, they've, ByteDance, Teachable, Konstantin Savusia, James Nord, Brandon Brown, Ryan Brown, Brian Mechem, Warby Parker, Grin, Amanda Perelli, Anthony, Alex Zaccaria, Nick Humphreys, Linktree's, Amber Venz, Baxter, Read, Sydney Bradley, economy's, Patreon, Chris Best, Jason Henry Substack Organizations: YouTube, Business, FaZe, Safety, Software, Security, Enterprise Security, FaZe Clan, Fohr, Inc, Grin Technologies, Facebook, Keli Network Inc, Business Affairs, Jellysmack, Linktree, Ops, RewardStyle Inc, Networks, Mighty Networks, Mighty Software, Engineering, Sydney, Sydney Bradley One, BI, Staff, Social, Data Engineering, Trust, Quality Assurance, Hotmart, & $ Locations: California, New York, Texas, FaZe, Fohr, Jellysmack, Karat, Linktree, LTK, Instagram, Dallas , Texas, Teachable

SINGAPORE (AP) — After a U.S. senator grilled Singaporean TikTok CEO about his nationality and affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party, Singaporeans are complaining about ignorant — or even racist — views of their country. During the hearing, Chew was repeatedly questioned about his nationality and possible affiliations to the Chinese Communist Party by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. Chinese companies are required to set up Communist Party cells. “No Senator, again, I’m Singaporean,” Chew responded, visibly perplexed. Prior to joining TikTok, Chew worked for five years at Xiaomi, a Chinese smartphone company.

Persons: Shou Chew, Chew, Chinese Communist Party by Sen, Tom Cotton, ” Cotton, Cotton, “, ” Chew, “ McCarthy, Jojo Choo, ”, ” Choo, Fian Fazlie, “ He’s, ” Fazlie, Biden, Vivian Kao, Goldman Sachs Organizations: SINGAPORE, Chinese Communist Party, Chinese Communist Party by, Communist Party, Washington Post, Singapore, Straits Times, Fox News, U.S, “, DST Global Locations: America ., Singapore, China, Chinese, “ Singapore, TikTok, Xiaomi

☆ Taylor Swift songs removed from TikTok after her label UMG's spat with the app
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Taylor Swift performs onstage at Lumen Field in Seattle on July 22, 2023. Music by artists including Taylor Swift and Drake was no longer available on TikTok when CNBC checked on Thursday morning. A licensing agreement between UMG and TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, expired on Wednesday. UMG alleged TikTok proposed paying its artists and songwriters "at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay." The music label also alleged TikTok is allowing its platform to be "flooded with AI-generated recordings."

Persons: Taylor Swift, Lumen, Drake, UMG, TikTok Organizations: Universal Music Group, CNBC Locations: Seattle, UMG

☆ TikTok Just Lost a Huge Catalog of Music. What Happened?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

TikTok users woke up Thursday and discovered that many videos using songs by stars like Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Drake and Ariana Grande had gone silent, after a public brawl between TikTok and Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company. Here is a look at what happened and why, and some thoughts about what may come next. On Tuesday, Universal Music, the global giant that releases music by hundreds of major artists, published a forceful open letter to TikTok as the end of its contract with the social media platform neared. Universal said that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, had not adequately addressed Universal’s concerns over A.I.-generated music on the platform, and that it would not agree to what Universal considered a satisfactory royalty rate. “Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business,” the label said, “without paying fair value for the music.”

Persons: Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Drake, Ariana Grande, TikTok, ” Organizations: Universal Music Group, Universal Music, Universal Locations: A.I

☆ Taylor Swift songs pulled from TikTok in payment dispute
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Universal Music Group has pulled its music off TikTok in a dispute over royalties, a move that prevents more than 1 billion users of the platform from streaming a vast catalog of songs by Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Rihanna and other artists. Many TikTok videos featuring Universal artists’ music went silent Thursday, with notices saying the sound had been removed because of copyright violation. For people making new videos, Universal music was unavailable in TikTok’s catalog. Like other music companies, Netherlands-based Universal charges royalty fees when its songs are played on social media platforms. Universal also said it had been pressing TikTok to better protect musicians from “the harmful effects” of artificial intelligence and to ensure online safety for TikTok’s users.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, J Balvin, Amy Winehouse, TikTok, Universal, ”, ” TikTok, ” Elizabeth Wagmeister Organizations: London CNN — Universal, ’, Universal, CNN Locations: Netherlands

As of early Thursday, a vast roster of popular songs were disappearing from the social media platform's library. The complete removal of UMG-licensed music will likely take a few days — but chances are, avid TikTokers are already seeing the effects. Artists will also not be able to post the audio of their UMG-licensed songs on TikTok. “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters,” TikTok said. Mall stressed the overall consequences of pulling music from social media platforms like TikTok — particularly for younger developing artists.

Persons: —, Taylor Swift, Bunny, Drake —, TikTok, UMG, ”, Andrew Mall, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, ” UMG, ” TikTok, we're, “, UMG's Virgin EMI Records Ted Cockle, Cockle, Alexandra J, Roberts, SZA, Drake, Billie Eilish —, Jessica Henig, it's, Henig, Michelle Chapman Organizations: Universal, Group, Associated Press, “ Universal, Northeastern University, UMG, Universal Music, UMG's Virgin EMI Records, Music Management, ”, Associated, Virgin EMI, AP Locations: UMG, New York

☆ Inside TikTok's fight against the most powerful music label in the industry and what could happen next
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Music licensing talks are heating up between TikTok and Universal Music Group as negotiations have left the conference room and entered the public sphere. "Their core mission is to generate as much money as they can from their recordings for their shareholders," David Herlihy, a copyright lawyer and music industry professor at Northeastern University, told BI. The company is in the process of launching a dedicated streaming app, TikTok Music, and has worked closely with artists on influencer listening parties, livestreams, and in-person events. But TikTok, as a global social giant, is an important product for music artists and labels. This is why the music industry is seeking to capture more value."

Persons: Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, TikTok, It's, David Herlihy, David, Goliath, UMG, Tatiana Cirisano, Jonny Kaps, MIDiA's Cirisano Organizations: TikTok, Universal Music Group, Business, Hollywood, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Northeastern University, Music, MIDiA Research, YouTube, Universal, SiriusXM Locations: India, Australia

☆ Lawmakers rip into tech CEOs at Senate hearing on online child sexual exploitation
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Aaron Mok | Camilo Fonseca | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

US lawmakers grilled CEOs from tech giants on their platform's online safety practices. Senators appeared to be bullish on whether the tech CEOs support their proposed laws. AdvertisementUS lawmakers grilled tech CEOs about their companies' online safety practices during this week's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation. During the hearing, which kicked off on Wednesday, US lawmakers were seen interrogating CEOs at tech giants like Meta, TikTok, and X on how they run their platforms and keep them safe. Advertisement"I hope you hear what is being offered to you and are prepared to step up and do better," Butler told the Meta CEO.

Persons: —, Sen, Lindsey Graham, there's, Graham, X's Linda Yaccarino, Snapchat's Evan Spiegel, –, Ted Cruz, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Cruz, – Zuckerberg, Shou Zi Chew, ByteDance, Chew, Cruz didn't, Tom Cotton, Richard Blumenthal, Blumenthal, California Sen, Laphonza Butler, Meta, Butler Organizations: Service, Meta, Chinese Communist Party Locations: China, Connecticut, California

☆ Universal Music Group pulls Taylor Swift’s songs off TikTok in dispute over payments
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Universal Music Group has pulled its music off TikTok, preventing more than 1 billion users of the platform from streaming a vast catalog of songs by Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Rihanna and other artists. TikTok allows its users to add music to their videos. TikTok, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, had proposed paying a “fraction” of the rate that similarly-sized social media platforms pay, Universal said. Like other music companies, Netherlands-based Universal charges royalty fees when its songs are played on social media platforms. TikTok is allowing its platform to be “flooded” with AI-generated music, and provides users with tools to create their own AI-generated recordings, Universal said.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Rihanna, Universal, TikTok, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, J Balvin, Amy Winehouse, ”, ” TikTok, ” Elizabeth Wagmeister Organizations: London CNN — Universal, TikTok, Universal Locations: Netherlands

Universal Music Group, which represents artists including Taylor Swift, Drake, Adele, Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish, says that it will no longer allow its music on TikTok now that a licensing deal between the two parties has expired. The licensing agreement between UMG and TikTok is expired as of Wednesday. Political Cartoons View All 253 Images“Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music,” UMG said. “Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters and fans,” TikTok said. Yet Universal Music also called new technology a potential threat to artists and said that TikTok is developing tools to enable, promote and encourage AI music creation.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Drake, Adele, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, UMG, ” UMG, TikTok, ” TikTok, ” Organizations: Universal Music Group, ByteDance, Universal Locations: UMG

☆ GOP senator asks TikTok's CEO over and over if he's Chinese. He's Singaporean.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Lauren Steussy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

During Wednesday's tense congressional testimony over online safety for children, Sen. Tom Cotton repeatedly asked Singaporean TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew if he's ever been a part of the Chinese Communist Party. An increasingly agitated Chew, who's no stranger to US politicians' prodding, tried repeatedly to shut down the line of questioning by telling the conservative senator that he's Singaporean. "Senator, I'm Singaporean, no," Chew responded. Chew was joined by four other social media companies' CEOs Wednesday for a combative hearing on protecting children online in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Zaveri put it this way:The rhetoric at times seemed to paint the Chinese people with a broad brush and conflated people of Chinese ancestry with the will of the CCP.

Persons: Sen, Tom Cotton, Shou Zi Chew, he's, Chew, Cotton, Jamie MacEwan, MacEwan, Paayal Zaveri, Zaveri, bungled Organizations: Chinese Communist Party, Business, Enders Analysis, Committee, Energy, Commerce, CCP Locations: China, Beijing

☆ Taylor Swift's label UMG to pull music from TikTok, accusing the social media app of bullying
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A music licensing agreement between UMG and TikTok, which is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, expired on Wednesday, and new terms have not been agreed. This means that UMG could pull its music catalog from TikTok. Universal Music Group said on Wednesday that it will cease licensing its music to TikTok and accused the short-form video giant of bullying and intimidation in its contract negotiations. UMG also said that TikTok "makes little effort to deal with the vast amounts of content on its platform that infringe" artists' music. By selectively removing the music of certain of our developing artists, while keeping on the platform our audience-driving global stars."

Persons: UMG, Taylor Swift, Drake, TikTok Organizations: TikTok, Universal Music Locations: UMG, TikTok

☆ Universal Music Group Threatens to Remove Music From TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Ben Sisario | Derrick Bryson Taylor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, said it would revoke the licenses for its vast catalog of songs from TikTok after its current contract expires on Wednesday if the two companies could not reach a new deal addressing Universal’s concerns over artist compensation, artificial intelligence and other issues. In an open letter posted late Tuesday, Universal accused TikTok of responding to its requests with “indifference, and then with intimidation,” creating a public squabble in the remaining hours of the two companies’ existing contract. If the talks fail, TikTok users would be unable to use music by Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, U2, Bad Bunny and thousands of other artists in their videos. The company says it is used by more than 150 million Americans. For a majority of TikTok users, music is an integral part of the experience, with songs — often comically sped up — playing over the short clips that fill users’ feeds.

Persons: TikTok, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Universal, ”, A.I Organizations: Universal Music Group, Universal

☆ Meta, X, TikTok, Snap and Discord face growing appetite in Congress for tighter social media regulation
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

(L-R) Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on January 31, 2024 in Washington, DC. Tillis and other lawmakers accused the tech executives of failing to protect children from sexual exploitation on their respective social media platforms. Growing appetite for regulationTo be sure, both Republican and Democratic senators were united in their conviction that social media firms are failing the American public and directly harming young people. Still, it takes time for bills to get passed, and all of these social media firms are still getting slammed for child-safety related issues, which could keep the topic fresh in the minds of politicians. Watch: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologizes to parents at online child safety Senate hearing.

Persons: Shou Zi Chew, Linda Yaccarino, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Alex Wong, Sen, Thom Tillis, Tillis, Josh Hawley, Zuckerberg, Tom Cotton, Chew Organizations: Dirksen, Facebook, Republican, Democratic, Meta, New, Apple, Lawmakers, Chinese Communist Party Locations: Washington , DC, Cambridge, China

☆ China is building its own AI at a rapid pace
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Chinese tech giants are racing to catch up with US firms like OpenAI in the AI arms race. Over 40 AI models have been approved for public use by the government, per local news reports. China has tight controls on AI , with tech companies required to "adhere to socialist values." Unlike their US rivals, Chinese companies that develop their own chatbots face political as well as technological challenges. That has meant that many of the country's most advanced AI models have a tendency to avoid sensitive topics, such as the status of Taiwan.

Persons: —, Ernie, OpenAI's, Bytedance, China's, Ernie Bot Organizations: Service, Reuters, Baidu, Google, Apple, Huawei, Xiaomi, Bloomberg Locations: China, Taiwan

☆ ByteDance has a new AI model that lets users instantly speak in another person's voice. Researchers admitted the AI can be used for 'fraud.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China's ByteDance has created a new way for people to immediately change their voice into another person's using generative artificial intelligence technology. People have already this year used AI to impersonate President Joe Biden as the 2024 election nears and pop star Taylor Swift . The output occurs at the speed of livestreaming, with just 124 milliseconds of latency, according to the paper, which noted that AI voice conversion technology thus far has mostly only been effective "offline." It also used open-source code from Meta's Audiodec , which Meta describes as a "plug-and-play benchmark for audio codec applications." They suggested people report illegal usage of voice conversion to the appropriate authorities.

Persons: China's ByteDance, Joe Biden, Taylor Swift, StreamVoice, Meta, Biden, Kali Hays Organizations: Business, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Northwestern University Locations: China, New Hampshire, khays@insider.com

A bunch of companies in the technology sector have been laying off some of their employees recently after quickly ramping up hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic while people spent more time and money online. Now, many of them are making job cuts to help lower costs and bolster their bottom lines. Here's some of the companies that have laid of employees of late:GoogleGoogle said it was laying off hundreds of employees working on its hardware, voice assistance and engineering teams. The company, which is owned by Chinese technology giant Tencent, said 530 jobs were being eliminated, accounting for about 11% of its headcount. AmazonTwitch, which is owned by Amazon, is cutting more than 500 jobs in a bid to save on costs.

Persons: TikTok TikTok, Dan Clancy, Bob Carrigan Organizations: Google Google, Google, Riot Games, “ League, Games, eBay, eBay Inc, Amazon, Amazon’s, MGM Studios, Spotify Locations: Los Angeles , California, Beijing

☆ TikTok cuts about 60 jobs as January layoffs continue across tech industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

TikTok Music has launched on Wednesday in Australia, Singapore and Mexico to a small group of users. TikTok has cut about 60 jobs, CNBC confirmed, the latest tech company to downsize at the start of 2024. Tech companies like Amazon , Alphabet , Unity , Discord and Trend Micro have all cut staff in January, continuing a trend from last year, when the industry slimmed down and slashed costs following an extended boom. In November, ByteDance slashed hundreds of jobs in the company's gaming division, Nuverse. The layoffs indicated that ByteDance was scaling back its gaming efforts, an area where it's been competing with Chinese rivals Tencent and NetEase.

Persons: Dylan Jadeja, TikTok, ByteDance, it's, Tencent, we've Organizations: CNBC, NPR, Tech, Riot, Apple Locations: Australia, Singapore, Mexico, Los Angeles , New York, Austin , Texas, U.S

Search resuls for: "ByteDance"

25 mentions found