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☆ Baltic Sea internet cables cut: European officials cry sabotage
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —European officials are looking toward Russia after two submarine internet cables in the Baltic Sea were suddenly disrupted in an apparent sabotage operation, just weeks after the United States warned that Moscow was likely to target critical undersea infrastructure. A cable between Lithuania and Sweden was cut on Sunday, according to Telia Lithuania, the telecommunications company that runs the link. Separately, the state-controlled Finnish telecoms company Cinia said one of its cables, which connects Finland and Germany, was disrupted on Monday. ”Nobody believes that these cables were accidentally severed,” he told reporters on Tuesday morning ahead of a ministerial meeting in Brussels, Belgium. The extent of the disruption, if any, caused by the damage to the cables is unclear.

Persons: Cinia, Boris Pistorius, ”, “, “ Pistorius, Telia, Andrius Šemeškevičius, – Organizations: CNN, Germany’s, Museum of Occupation, European Union, BCS Locations: Russia, Baltic, States, Moscow, Lithuania, Sweden, Finnish, Finland, Germany, Brussels, Belgium, Ukraine, Czech, Prague, Riga, Latvia, Ukrainian, London, Warsaw, Poland, Belarus, Helsinki, Rostock, Lithuanian

☆ European tech funding declines for third consecutive year — but the sector is finally stabilizing
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Still, Atomico said this shows that European tech funding levels have finally "stabilized" despite worsening global macroeconomic conditions leading to three consecutive years of declines. In the period spanning 2015 to 2024, European startups have bagged $426 billion, dwarfing the sum of investment deployed into tech firms the decade prior. Europe's first $1 trillion tech firm? Atomico said it's optimistic about the next decade in European tech. The VC firm, which was established by Skype co-founder Niklas Zennström, is predicting the entire European tech ecosystem combined could be valued at $8 trillion by 2034, up from around $3 trillion currently.

Persons: Reeves, Oli Scarff, Atomico, Tom Wehmeier, Wehmeier, Europe's, Rachel Reeves, techUK, Niklas Zennström Organizations: Startup Coalition, Getty Images Venture, European Tech, CNBC, VC, Skype, Spotify, Google, Apple, Facebook, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla Locations: British, State, Europe, U.S, China, Atomico, United States

☆ Jersey Mike’s Subs is worth $8 billion after a huge investment from Blackstone
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Blackstone announced Tuesday that it has acquired a “majority ownership position” in Jersey Mike’s, valued at around $8 billion, according to a source familiar. The influx of cash will help the sandwich chain “accelerate its expansion across and beyond the US market, as well as its continued investment in technology and digital transformation,” a statement said. “We believe we are still in the early innings of Jersey Mike’s growth story and that Blackstone is the right partner to help us reach even greater heights,” Cancro said in a statement. Jersey Mike’s is the second-largest sandwich chain behind Subway in sales. Data from QSR Magazine reveals Jersey Mike’s locations pull in about $1.35 million per unit, with an average Subway location raking in less than $500,000.

Persons: Peter Cancro, who’s, “, Blackstone, ” Cancro, Roark Organizations: New, New York CNN, Jersey, Subway, Blackstone, QSR Magazine, Roark Capital Locations: New York, Jersey, New Jersey, Canada

☆ Elon Musk's X sues Twitch in lawsuit alleging advertisers conspired to boycott the platform
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Lara O'Reilly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementX has added Twitch as a defendant in a suit accusing advertisers of colluding to withhold ad spend. Ad revenue on X has plummeted since Elon Musk acquired the platform in 2022. Elon Musk's X is suing Twitch, alleging that the Amazon-owned video streaming platform and other companies illegally conspired to boycott advertising on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Twitch, X, and the WFA didn't immediately respond to requests for comment made by Business Insider outside normal US business hours. Musk's own behavior on and off the platform — including famously telling advertisers who boycotted X to "go fuck yourself" — hasn't encouraged advertisers to place their budgets there, either.

Persons: Elon Musk, Elon Musk's, Twitch, Stephan Loerke, it's, Ørsted, Twitch —, X's, hasn't, Jim Jordan, Donald Trump's, Abraham Yousef, Yousef Organizations: Global Alliance of Responsible Media, Elon, Twitter, Federation, WFA, Business, Unilever, CVS Health, Twitch, Google, Committee, WPP, Diageo, Tower Locations: Texas, Ohio

☆ I thought I preferred texting to phone calls. While in a long-distance relationship, I realized how much I missed talking on the phone with friends.
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Hannah Wilkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementMy partner and I started dating while we were long-distance and communicated through phone calls. I realized that I missed talking to my friends this way, and started calling them more often. He preferred talking on the phone over texting, and over time I grew to prefer it, too. AdvertisementWe built our relationship through phone calls, and despite now living together full-time, it's still our preferred way to communicate when we're apart. But interestingly, 45% of men prefer phone calls, compared to only 29% of women.

Persons: There's, it's, I'd, I've, It's Locations: London, Australia, Greece

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves after hours: Keysight Technologies, La-Z-Boy, Dolby Laboratories and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The electronics test and measurement equipment company's fiscal fourth-quarter results beat analysts' estimates on the top and bottom lines. Dolby Laboratories — The audio technology company advanced 10% after its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings of 61 cents per share topped Street estimates of 45 cents per share, per FactSet. Azek Company — Shares of the residential siding and trim company ticked up 2% after its fiscal fourth-quarter results beat analysts' estimates. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were looking for earnings of 27 cents per share and $339.1 million in revenue. La-Z-Boy reported earnings of 71 cents per share on revenue of $521 million.

Persons: Keysight, FactSet, Dolby Organizations: Dolby Laboratories, Powell Industries, Azek

☆ An AI startup CEO on a Forbes '30 Under 30' list has been charged with defrauding investors out of $10 million
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Federal prosecutors have charged the founder of an education technology startup spun out of Harvard who was recognized on a Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021 with fraud. AdvertisementAllHere, which came out of the Harvard Innovation Lab, created an AI chatbot that was supposed to help reduce student absenteeism. Smith-Griffin was featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for education in 2021. AllHere's investors included funds managed by Rethink Capital Partners and Spero Ventures, according to a document filed in bankruptcy court. Representatives for Harvard, Forbes, and Inc. didn't immediately respond to a comment request on Tuesday.

Persons: Joanna Smith, Griffin, Smith, Sam Bankman, Charlie Javice, Martin Shkreli —, spotlighted, Damian Williams, AllHere, didn't, Griffin wasn't Organizations: AllHere, Forbes, Harvard Innovation, Los Angeles Unified School District, Inc, Prosecutors, New York City Department of Education, Atlanta Public Schools, Capital Partners, Spero Ventures, Harvard Locations: Harvard, New York, North Carolina

☆ With Elon Musk in tow, Trump eyes changes to government policies on AI and its risks
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The Republican document said the executive order contained “radical leftwing ideas” that hindered innovation. The most advanced AI systems could, in the worst case, “pose an extinction-level threat to the human species,” the report said. A related document said AI systems could be used to implement “high-impact cyberattacks capable of crippling critical infrastructure,” among a litany of risks. However, he worries that a repeal of Biden’s executive order would spell the end of the US government’s AI Safety Institute. It is possible that that would be the subject of a future Trump executive order,” said Strait.

Persons: London CNN — Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Joe Biden, Sandra Wachter, ”, Andrew Strait, Ada Lovelace, Strait, Kamala Harris, Musk, Steve Kramer, Dean Phillips, Biden, Phillips ’, Taylor Swift, Alexandria Ocasio, Cortez, ” Manoj Chaudhary, What’s, It’s “, Trump, ” Strait, Gavin Newsom, JD Vance, “, Musk’s Tesla Organizations: London CNN, White House, Republican Party, Republican, Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford University, CNN, Ada, Ada Lovelace Institute, US Department of Homeland Security, Democratic, US State Department, AI Safety, “ Department, Government, Trump Locations: London, United States, New Hampshire, Alexandria, Colorado, New York, ”, California

☆ Visa and Mastercard execs grilled by senators on 'duopoly,' high swipe fees
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Ece Yildirim | In Ecedyildirim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Interchange fees, also known as swipe fees, are paid from a merchant's bank account to the cardholder's bank, whenever a customer uses a credit card in a retail purchase. "In 2023 alone, Visa and Mastercard charged merchants more than $100 billion in credit card fees, mostly in the form of interchange fees," Durbin told the committee. Visa and Mastercard, however, stand by their swipe fees. But the current high credit card swipe fees for retailers translate to higher prices for consumers, the National Retail Federation told the committee in a letter ahead of the hearing. "Last year, the average American spent $1,100 in swipe fees, more than they spent on pets, coffee or alcohol."

Persons: Bill Sheedy, Linda Kirkpatrick, Democratic Illinois Sen, Dick Durbin, Durbin, Republican Kansas Sen, Roger Marshall, Ryan McInerney, Sheedy, Americas Linda Kirkpatrick, Dodd, Frank, Roger Alford, General Merrick Garland Organizations: Visa, Americas, Mastercard, Committee, Democratic Illinois, Republican Kansas, Credit, National Retail Federation, Notre Dame University Locations: Washington ,

☆ AI is hitting a wall just as valuations reach the stratosphere
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The narrative from Silicon Valley is that the AI train has left the station and any smart investor had better hop on before these products become “superintelligent” and start solving all the world’s problems. Now, some of the leading language models appear to be hitting a wall, according to at least three reports last week. But if we have indeed hit a scaling wall, “it may mean that the the mega-cap technology companies have over-invested” and it’s possible that they could scale back in the near future. That’s the AI optimist/pragmatist view. For a less rosy outlook, I turned to Gary Marcus, NYU professor emeritus and outspoken critic of AI hype.

Persons: CNN Business ’, New York CNN — It’s, OpenAI, ”, that’s, “, Orion “, Ilya Sutskever, ” Sutskever, Marc Andreessen, Sam Altman, ” Gil Luria, Davidson, it’s, ” Luria, Gary Marcus, ” Marcus, “ LLMs Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Nvidia, Tech, ” Bloomberg, ” Reuters Locations: New York, GPT

☆ Women prefer to play mobile games. China's Tencent sees an opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Tencent's Honor of Kings mobile game drew a record 33,000 fans to watch a final competition in Beijing on Nov. 16, 2024. Surprisingly, many in the crowd were young women, reflecting how interest in mobile games has broadened out from the stereotypical male player in the days of console and PC gaming. Honor of Kings, which claims 100 million players a day, uses a similar format with two teams of five players each. His analysis found that 95% of women prefer mobile games. A newly branded Honor of Kings global championship was held last month in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, with Malaysian team Black Shrew Esports winning the $300,000 first prize.

Persons: Evelyn Cheng, Kings, Gao, of, Jackie Huang, Huang, Xiaofeng Zeng, Niko Partners, Zeng Organizations: Kings, CNBC, of Valor, of Kings, global, Tencent, Gaming, Riot, Malaysian Locations: Beijing, Evelyn Cheng BEIJING, China, Shanghai, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Chinese, North America, Europe, Japan, U.S, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Jakarta

☆ Putin paying for 100,000 North Korean troops helps him delay a second mobilization: ISW
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementNorth Korean troops in Russia help Putin beyond sheer manpower needs — they help him at home, too. "The deployment of roughly 100,000 North Korean personnel would only replace Russian losses for less than three months," the think-tank wrote. In total, that could mean 100,000 North Korean troops cycling in and out of combat within a year, he said. The North Korean troops in Russia are believed to be special forces, which South Korean intelligence estimates say consist of about 200,000 members in total. AdvertisementSeoul also says that Russia is paying about $2,000 a month for each North Korean soldier.

Persons: Putin, ISW, Vladimir Putin, Kim, Russia's, Dmytro, Kim Jong Un Organizations: Putin, Kremlin, Institute for, Korean, Bloomberg, North Locations: Russia, The Washington, Moscow, Ukraine, Pyongyang, Kursk, Kyiv, North Korea, South Korea, America, Seoul, Korean, South

☆ Inside Amazon's agonizing attempt to save Alexa with AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

AdvertisementCustomer-friction concerns, partnership hiccups, compatibility questions, latency problems, and accuracy issues have snarled progress, according to internal Amazon documents and multiple people involved in the project. AdvertisementA product of this scale is "unprecedented, and takes time," an Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider. Related storiesFor example, without more clearly defined responsibilities with third-party partners, Amazon expected further delays in the launch. AdvertisementLatency has been a particularly tough problem for the AI Alexa service. Related storiesNew risksIn late August, Amazon discovered several new risk factors for the AI Alexa service.

Persons: Alexa, that's, Amazon, Taylor Swift, they're, ChatGPT, Andy Jassy, Andy Jassy Mike Blake, Claude Haiku, Rohit Prasad, Claude, AGI NurPhoto, —, Fortune, Amazon's Organizations: Uber, Ticketmaster, Alexa, Echo, Amazon, Business, Bloomberg, TV, Reuters, General Intelligence, AGI, Companies

☆ Zhuhai airshow: Stealth fighters and a massive mothership drone: the high-tech weapons China has unveiled
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

J35-A stealth fighterMore than a decade in the making, China’s much-anticipated new stealth fighter jet, the J-35A, is widely seen as part of Beijing’s bid to match the United States’ stealth fighter capabilities. The HQ-19 surface-to-air missile system is among the most anticipated new weapons displayed at the airshow in Zhuhai, China. The Chinese military's new unmanned aerial vehicle, "Jetank," is displayed at the Zhuhai airshow on Nov. 12, 2024. It comes with folding tailfins, a design that allows for more compact stowage to fit the country’s stealth fighter jets. A Russian Sukhoi Su-57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft flies during the airshow in Zhuhai, China on November 14, 2024.

Persons: –, Xinzhi, ”, Wei Dongxu, Du Wenlong, Zhuhai . Long Wei, Zou Wei, Russian Sukhoi Su, Hector Retamal, Sergei Shoigu Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, PLA Air Force, CCTV, US, Air Defense, US Defense, PLA, PLA Academy of Military Sciences, Kyodo, Future Publishing, China Military, China Military Online, Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Air Missile, International Institute for Strategic Studies, AIM, Getty, Tass Locations: Hong Kong, China, Zhuhai, United States, Beijing, Asia, Ukraine, Taiwan, States, Zhuhai . Long, Air Missile China, Russian Sukhoi, AFP, Russia, Russian

☆ Rocket Lab's CEO practices founder mode like Elon Musk — but he'd rather pan for gold on Earth than live on Mars
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementHeadquartered in Long Beach, California, Rocket Lab employs over 2,000 people globally. It's an "end-to-end space company," providing launch services, spacecraft, satellite components, and on-orbit management. Rocket Lab is valued at a fraction of that, with a market cap of around $9.5 billion. He said that's the nature of who he is — and the job of running a rocket company. AdvertisementBeck describes running a rocket company as "running through a maze in the middle of the night."

Persons: Peter Beck, Beck, Elon Musk, you've, Donald Trump, Trump, David, faze Beck, Virgin, Virgin Orbit, Jeff Bezos, Rutherford, Ernest Rutherford, We've, we've, doesn't, Beck doesn't, blissfully Organizations: SpaceX, Rocket, Department of Government, Lab, Rocket Lab, New Zealand Locations: New Zealand, Long Beach , California

☆ Trump's picks are giving Big Tech plenty of reasons to be nervous
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementDonald Trump has selected several Big Tech critics for top roles in his second administration. A number of his picks have been harsh critics of the Big Tech industry. Tom Williams/CQ Roll CallTrump's pick for attorney general, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, has for years criticized Big Tech companies. Anna MoneymakerVice President-elect JD Vance cut his teeth in venture capital, and has long been a proponent for breaking up Big Tech. AdvertisementVance said that his experience in Silicon Valley taught him to be weary of Big Tech.

Persons: Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, JD Vance, Elon Musk, Brendan Carr, Trump's, Trump, Brendan Carr Trump, Tom Williams, Carr, Elon, Musk's, Matt Gaetz Trump, Gaetz, Lina Khan, Jonathan Kanter, Elon Musk Elon, Marc Piasecki, Musk, donald, Biden, Tim Cook, X, Anna Moneymaker, Vance, we're Organizations: Big Tech, Trump, GOP, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Federal Communications Commission, Inc, Getty, Heritage, FCC, TikTok, United, Florida Rep, Federal Trade, Elon, Government, of Government, SpaceX, OpenAI, Bloomberg News Locations: Starlink, Florida, Silicon Valley, Trump

☆ Coca-Cola causes controversy with AI-made ad
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Bruna Horvath | Bruna Horvath Is An Intern On Nbc News' Tech Team. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Forbes reported that the video was created by three AI studios — Secret Level, Silverside AI and Wild Card — using four different generative AI models. In a statement, a Coca-Cola spokesperson said, "The Coca-Cola Company has celebrated a long history of capturing the magic of the holidays in content, film, events and retail activations for decades around the globe. Coca-Cola will always remain dedicated to creating the highest level of work at the intersection of human creativity and technology." This isn’t the first time that Coca-Cola has used AI technology in its marketing strategies and programs. Tim DeStefano, a research professor at Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, told NBC News that using AI technology means a significant drop in the price of creating commercials.

Persons: Chris Barber, Alex Hirsch, ”, it’s, OpenAI, Neeraj Arora, ” Arora, Coke, Tim DeStefano, ” DeStefano Organizations: Forbes, Disney, Cola Company, University of Wisconsin, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, NBC News Locations: Madison

The Library of Congress said hackers broke into its communications systems and were able to read its email correspondence with congressional offices for most of this year. In a private notification sent Friday to some congressional offices, obtained by NBC News, the Library of Congress said that hackers “accessed email communications between congressional offices and some Library staff, including the Congressional Research Service.” The hackers had access from January until September, the notification said. The Library of Congress, the world’s largest library, offers a dedicated research staff for Congress. Last year, it gave congressional staffers more than 76,000 custom responses to inquiries, according to its most recent annual report. Bill Ryan, director of communications at the Library of Congress, told NBC News in an email that the software vulnerability the hackers used to gain access has been “mitigated.”“The Library has referred the matter to law enforcement and is also conducting its own analysis of the breach,” Ryan said.

Persons: Bill Ryan, ” Ryan, ”, Chuck Schumer Organizations: Congress, NBC News, of Congress, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, ., Russian Embassy, Washington , D.C, Embassy Locations: United States, China, Russia, U.S, Russian, Washington ,

☆ What did King Richard III sound like? State-of-the-art technology re-creates voice of medieval monarch
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Freddie Clayton | Freddie Clayton Is A Freelance Journalist Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON — Britain’s King Richard III was immortalized with the Shakespeare line, “A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse.”Now state-of-the-art technology has revealed what it may have sounded like if he did indeed utter those words just before his death in 1485 at the Battle of Bosworth. Just over 100 years later in 1592, Shakespeare vilified him as a hunchback, giving him the famous cry of despair about a horse as his last line. He was able to speak in public.”“Without the discovery of his mortal remains, this project would not have been possible,” she added. The skeleton also helped Morley-Chisholm find the actor that would eventually play the king’s avatar. “I think when people see it and hear it, then, you know, forget Richard.

Persons: King Richard III, Shakespeare, Yvonne Morley, Chisholm, ”, England, Richard, Morley, David Crystal, Crystal, “, King Richard III of England, Philippa Langley, ” Morley, Thomas Dennis, Dennis, Langley, Richard III, ” Mathew Morris, it’s Organizations: Theatre Royal, Liverpool John Moores University, NBC News, Alamy, University of Leicester's Archaeological Services Locations: Bosworth, York, Yorkshire, England, British, Leicester, London

Labor leaders say Democrats need to rethink their approach to working-class voters. Former Fox News host Pete Hegseth’s attorney confirmed he paid a woman after she accused him of sexual assault. He also denied that the encounter between Hegseth and an unnamed woman, which she alleges happened in 2017, was sexual assault. 🏈 The Kansas City Chiefs’ undefeated season is no more as the Buffalo Bills beat their AFC rivals 30-21 at home. Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 262 yards with one touchdown and one interception as Buffalo improved to 9-2.

Persons: Pete Hegseth’s, Democratic Party ’ Donald Trump, Chip Somodevilla, Kamala Harris ’, ”, Brent Booker, ” Booker, Mike Johnson, Trump, Brendan Carr, Roy Rochlin, Donald Trump, “, Parlatore, Dick Schoof, Nora Achahbar, NFL Gregory Bull, Greg Rosenstein, hird, 🐆 Organizations: Labor, Former Fox News, Union, Democratic Party, ’ International Union of, ”, Trump, Federal Communications Commission, Justice Department, FBI, Trump Pentagon, Fox News, NBC News, Washington Post, Authorities, Hegseth, Getty Images, Dutch, NFL, Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, NBC Locations: Amsterdam, Netherlands, West Palm Beach, Fla, Biden’s, ’ International Union of North America, Afghanistan, Hegseth’s, Monterey , California, Anadolu, Getty Images Amsterdam, Moroccan

☆ Apple exec explains the company's 'secret weapon' when making its own chips
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementApple has increasingly used its own silicon chips in its devices in recent years. Apple says it has a "secret weapon" in its approach to making the chips that power many of its devices. The company also benefits from making chips strictly for its own use rather than being a traditional chip-maker that sells to other companies, Millet said. Apple's newest Macs are based on Apple's latest silicon chips, the M4 line. AdvertisementMillet said Apple silicon takes advantage of "three major components, the architecture, the design, and the process technology."

Persons: Apple execs, Apple's, Apple, Don McGuire Tim Millet, Tom Boger, Boger, Millet, Tim Cook, Biden's, TSMC Organizations: Apple, Indian Express, Mac, Qualcomm, Intel, Imagination Technologies, M4, BI Locations: Arizona, Phoenix , Arizona

☆ Leaked: Amazon held talks with Instacart, Uber, Ticketmaster, and others for help on its new AI-powered Alexa
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The new Alexa aims to be a personalized assistant, handling diverse tasks across different devices. Amazon's AI-powered Alexa upgrade could launch with several major partners handling specific tasks such as ride-hailing, grocery shopping, and restaurant reservations, Business Insider has learned. The partner companies would become the primary option for handling those specific tasks on the upgraded Alexa. Amazon is revamping Alexa with ChatGPT-like AI features, BI first reported in January. Internally codenamed Banyan or Remarkable Alexa, the upgrade has the potential to significantly improve the voice assistant with AI features.

Persons: Uber, Spokespeople, Thumbtack, Andy Jassy, Jassy Organizations: Partners, Ticketmaster, BI, Amazon, Alexa, ChatGPT, Uber

☆ Verily has a December deadline to cut important ties with Google, leaked documents show
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Hugh Langley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Verily has told employees it ultimately intends to become an independent company. Verily, Alphabet's life sciences subsidiary, has set a deadline of December 16 to sever multiple ties to Google, according to two people familiar with the matter and internal documents reviewed by Business Insider. Related Video How tech layoffs could affect the economyVerily, formerly known as Google Life Sciences, started life as a moonshot project inside Google X. "Verily is transitioning from Google's infrastructure to our own, as we continue to grow as an independent Alphabet company," said Verily spokesperson Steven Cooper. AdvertisementAn internal Verily FAQ for staff broached the subject of why the company didn't start Flywheel until after its products were more mature.

Persons: Verily, Steven Cooper, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Waymo Organizations: Google, Staff, Business, Sciences, BI

☆ Trump taps Brendan Carr to chair Federal Communications Commission
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Brendan Carr speaks during a House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Hearing titled Connecting America. President-elect Donald Trump will tap Brendan Carr, a critic of the Biden administration's telecom policies and Big Tech, as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, he said in a statement on Sunday. Carr, 45, is currently the top Republican on the FCC, the independent agency that regulates telecommunications. Last week, Carr wrote to Meta's Facebook, Alphabet's Google , Apple and Microsoft saying they had taken steps to censor Americans. Trump also sued CBS over its "60 Minutes" interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.

Persons: Brendan Carr, Donald Trump, Carr, Joe Biden's, Disney's, Trump, Kamala Harris Organizations: Energy, Communications, Technology, Biden, Big Tech, Federal Communications Commission, Republican, FCC, Elon, SpaceX, Commerce Department's, Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Sunday, Disney's ABC, NBC, Paramount, CBS

☆ Tesla stock pops 8% in premarket after report Trump wants to relax U.S. self-driving rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla shares jumped on Monday following a report that President-elect Donald Trump's transition team are planning to make a federal framework to regulate self-driving vehicles a top priority for the U.S. Transport Department. ET, Tesla stock was up 7.98% in U.S. premarket trading after the release of the Bloomberg News report, which cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter. CNBC could not independently verify the report and has requested comment from the Trump team and from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a Transportation Department unit tasked to oversee self-driving technologies. Full Self-Driving, or FSD, is Tesla's premium driver assistance system, currently available in a "supervised" version for Tesla electric vehicles. Trump's transition team is reportedly looking for policy leaders for the Transportation Department to develop a federal regulatory framework for self-driving vehicles, according to Bloomberg.

Persons: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Tesla, Donald Trump's, Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Google's, Emil Michael, Sam Graves of, Garret Graves Organizations: Republican, U.S . Transport Department, Bloomberg, CNBC, Trump, National, Traffic Safety Administration, Transportation Department, White, Government, FSD, Uber Locations: Butler , Pennsylvania, U.S, Texas, California, Sam Graves of Missouri, Garret Graves of Louisiana

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