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On this day, 49 years ago, MITS launched the Altair 8800 kit, igniting the PC revolution and attracting future tech giants like Bill Gates and Paul Allen, who developed BASIC for it, setting the stage for Microsoft's founding, and inspiring Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who would later introduce the Apple I.
Here's the latest tech news from the last 24 hours:
🤖 OpenAI lays out plan for dealing with dangers of AI
💔 Adobe and Figma call off $20 billion acquisition after regulatory scrutiny
⌚ Apple will halt sales of its newest watches in the US over a patent dispute
🚗 TomTom and Microsoft are launching an AI driving assistant
💸 Google to pay $700 million in Play Store settlement
🚨 Nikola founder Trevor Milton sentenced to 4 years for securities fraud
🔮 Pakistani politician deepfakes himself to deliver a speech from behind bars
🤖 OpenAI lays out plan for dealing with dangers of AILINK
OpenAI introduced a "Safety Advisory Group" with veto power to oversee AI risk management and maintain high safety standards.
The company's updated "Preparedness Framework" includes detailed risk categories and prohibits development of AI models with high or critical risks.
The final decision-making authority rests with OpenAI's CEO and CTO, despite the advisory group's recommendations and veto power.
💔 Adobe and Figma call off $20 billion acquisition after regulatory scrutinyLINK
Adobe and Figma canceled their $20 billion merger due to difficulties in obtaining regulatory approval from European and UK authorities.
The companies will move forward independently and Adobe will pay Figma a $1 billion breakup fee.
Despite believing in the merger's benefits for customers, Adobe faces a challenging regulatory environment that has also affected other tech deals.
⌚ Apple will halt sales of its newest watches in the US over a patent disputeLINK
Apple is removing Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 from US sale due to a patent infringement ruling favoring health technology firm Masimo. President Biden's review of the import ban ends on December 25, but Apple will halt sales earlier, on December 21 online and December 24 in-store. Apple disagrees with the ban and is exploring options to keep the Apple Watch available for US customers.
🚗 TomTom and Microsoft are launching an AI driving assistantLINK
TomTom and Microsoft are creating an AI voice assistant for cars, allowing drivers to control navigation and car functions using voice commands.
The assistant leverages Microsoft technologies like Azure AI and can be integrated into TomTom's infotainment system or other car platforms.
This collaboration enhances TomTom's offerings, including a ChatGPT plugin for developers, and continues its competition with Google Maps.
💸 Google to pay $700 million in Play Store settlementLINK
Google agrees to a $700 million settlement, allocating $630 million to consumers and $70 million to a fund, because of its Play Store practices.
The settlement prompts Google to expand its user choice billing and simplify the app sideloading process for Android users.
Despite the settlement, critics like Epic Games argue it lacks meaningful change and will not offer true relief to consumers or developers.
🚨 Nikola founder Trevor Milton sentenced to 4 years for securities fraudLINK
Trevor Milton, founder of Nikola, received a four-year prison sentence for securities and wire fraud.
Prosecutors had hoped for a longer sentence after Milton was found guilty of making false claims about Nikola's technology.
Milton deceived investors with exaggerated statements about Nikola's products and orders from 2016 to 2020.
🔮 Pakistani politician deepfakes himself to deliver a speech from behind barsLINK
Imran Khan, a former Pakistani prime minister in jail, used a deepfake technology to deliver a speech for an upcoming election campaign.
The AI-created video used Khan's voice clone and notified viewers about the artificial nature of the speech during the broadcast.
Despite being barred from office, Khan's party celebrated the innovative approach, even amidst reported internet censorship efforts.
Other news you might like
Adobe's scrapped $20 billion Figma takeover brings joy to supporters, avoiding a design tool monopoly and high subscription fears.LINK
Elon Musk intensifies his dispute with Bob Iger by pulling the Disney+ app from select Teslas amidst their ongoing feud.LINK
Chinese firm Unitree Robotics unveils H1, a humanoid robot that walks, interacts, and may soon have hands, aiming for affordability and widespread use.LINK
Study reveals humans have trouble distinguishing AI-created art from human-made pieces but show a consistent preference for the latter.LINK
Tesla is actively developing an inductive wireless charging system for EVs, as recently confirmed by company executives during a review with Jay Leno.LINK
Meta invests heavily in the metaverse while U.S. VR headset sales fall, facing a tough mainstream market and awaiting a killer app.LINK
NASA successfully tested high-bandwidth laser communication from deep space by beaming a cat video, promising advancements for future interplanetary missions.LINK
Comcast Xfinity suffered a data breach affecting over 35 million people due to a "Citrix Bleed" vulnerability, compromising customer personal data.LINK
Flipboard integrates with the fediverse, enabling users to access Mastodon and other ActivityPub-based content, forecasting significant industry shift towards decentralized social networking.LINK
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