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Here's the latest tech news from the last 24 hours:

👨‍⚖️ X is suing California
💰 IRS employs AI to target the ultra-wealthy
🌍 Microsoft plans to capture carbon using crushed limestone
🤖 Bots on X worse than ever according to analysis of 1m tweets
🩺 Meta's VR technology is helping to train surgeons and treat patients
🦾 AI study says sometimes it's good when executives act like robots

👨‍⚖️ X is suing CaliforniaLINK

Elon Musk's X Corp, formerly known as Twitter, is suing the state of California over a new content moderation law, claiming it infringes on freedom of speech.

The law, Assembly Bill 587, requires social media companies to disclose how they're combating hate speech, harassment and extremism, and to report their enforcement data twice a year.

X Corp argues that the law will pressure platforms to remove content that is constitutionally protected, even if viewed as problematic by the state.

💰 IRS employs AI to target the ultra-wealthyLINK

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is employing artificial intelligence tools to target potential tax violations, focusing on wealthy taxpayers involved in complex tax avoidance schemes.

AI will change the way the IRS issues audits, primarily targeting high-income individuals and ensuring audit rates for those earning less than $400,000 per year do not increase.

The IRS hired nearly 90,000 additional staff members to support its tax evasion detection efforts and enhance taxpayer services, making this the largest increase in personnel in over a decade.

🌍 Microsoft plans to capture carbon using crushed limestoneLINK

Microsoft has partnered with Heirloom Carbon, a company that has devised a method of using limestone to capture and reduce carbon, contributing to Microsoft's goal of becoming carbon-negative.

Despite the proven effectiveness of the limestone method, the cost-efficient scale is yet to be determined and the challenge of storing the captured carbon remains.

Microsoft has already employed various carbon capture technologies and aims to become carbon-negative by 2030, eventually hoping to remove all of the carbon it has emitted since its foundation in 1975 by 2050.

🤖 Bots on X worse than ever according to analysis of 1m tweetsLINK

Despite Elon Musk's claims of cracking down on bots after his acquisition of Twitter (now X), researchers found that bot activity has actually increased.

Researchers identified over 1,200 X accounts making false election claims and a bot network of 1,305 accounts during their analysis of recent political events.

The methods used by X to moderate misinformation, disinformation and bot activity have been deemed ineffective by researchers, while several of the identified accounts remain active on the platform.

🩺 Meta's VR technology is helping to train surgeons and treat patientsLINK

Dr. Jake Shine used a virtual reality (VR) headset to practice a major shoulder-replacement surgery, suggesting that VR could potentially improve outcomes and efficiency in the medical field.

VR technology is also being used for pain management, emotional therapy and physical and cognitive rehabilitation, showing its versatility in healthcare applications.

Regulatory considerations and the cost-effectiveness of VR in healthcare are still open questions, posing potential hurdles for the broad adoption of VR in the medical industry.

🦾 AI study says sometimes it's good when executives act like robotsLINK

Researchers at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business trained AI chatbot, ChatGPT, on corporate earnings call speeches and found its responses sometimes matched those of human executives.

When executives provided less robotic and more detailed responses during earnings calls, it led to more significant impacts on the company's stock prices.

Bloomberg columnist suggests that when earnings are poor, corporations should consider using ChatGPT for their calls, while human executives should handle calls when having positive news to share.

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Almost half of Grindr's team resigned over a quick return-to-office ultimatum with a brief decision timeline and severance offer.LINK

Arm Holdings' IPO is oversubscribed, with demand six times higher than the $5 billion sought, indicating likelihood of meeting their $47-$51 share target range.LINK

Amazon now requires authors to disclose any AI-generated content in their books, addressing complaints by the Authors Guild about transparency and accountability.LINK

Dennis Austin simplified graphical design by developing PowerPoint's "direct-manipulation interface", making it accessible for non-tech savvy users despite criticism on its overuse.LINK

Intuit's deceptive TurboTax "free" advertising broke U.S. law, ruling by FTC's administrative law judge says, company to appeal decision.LINK

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