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Showing posts from March, 2024

Pakistani researcher achieves milestone in artificial vision

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Pakistani researcher achieves milestone in artificial vision Dr Ali Imran and Prof Xu Mingsheng have recently invented a Neuromorphic Vision sensor at Zhejiang University, China in collaboration with international scientists from the State University of New York, United States of America, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan and Sejong University, South Korea. Their device can be used to drive vision sensors for performing neuromorphic functions such as sensing, learning, memorising, and decision-making at the single-sensor level. So, the sensing, processing, and data storage can be integrated within a single device instead of different sensors, computers, and hard disks. The simple, smart, high-performance, energy-efficient, and intelligent sensor can be easily fabricated at the industrial scale. In their research work, they have discovered a simple method to fabricate the HfAlO interfacial layer, which possesses ferroelectric properties. They used atomic layer deposi...

Microsoft, OpenAI plan $100 billion data-center project, media report says

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Microsoft, OpenAI plan $100 billion data-center project, media report says Microsoft and OpenAI are working on plans for a data center project that could cost as much as $100 billion and include an artificial intelligence supercomputer called "Stargate" set to launch in 2028, The Information reported on Friday. OpenAI did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence technology has led to sky-rocketing demand for AI data centers capable of handling more advanced tasks than traditional data centers. The Information reported that Microsoft would likely finance the project, which is expected to be 100 times more costly than some of the biggest existing data centers, citing people involved in private conversations about the proposal. The proposed US-based supercomputer would be the biggest in a series the companies are looking to build over the next six years, the report added. The Information attributed the t...

US, Japan to call for deeper cooperation in AI, semiconductors, Asahi says

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US, Japan to call for deeper cooperation in AI, semiconductors, Asahi says Japan and the US will announce closer cooperation in high-tech areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) in a joint statement when Prime Minister Fumio Kishida meets with President Joe Biden next month, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said on Saturday. Biden is set to host Kishida for an official visit to the US on April 10. Calling ties between the two allies a "global partnership", the joint statement will advocate stronger cooperation in AI and semiconductors, Asahi said without citing its sources. As part of the agreement, Japan and the US will likely set up a framework for AI research and development, working with Nvidia, Arm and Amazon, among others, the newspaper said. The US has moved aggressively in recent months to halt shipments of advanced AI chips to China, in its efforts to stop Beijing from getting cutting-edge US technology that could strengthen its military.

Musk's xAI to launch improved version of chatbot

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Musk's xAI to launch improved version of chatbot Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI said on Thursday it will launch an enhanced version of its chatbot Grok. The new version, called Grok-1.5, will be made available to early testers and existing Grok users on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in the coming days, xAI said in a statement. The startup said one of the most notable improvements in the new version is its performance in coding and math-related tasks. Seeking an alternative to Microsoft-backed OpenAI and Alphabet's Google, Musk launched xAI last year to create what he said would be a "maximum truth-seeking AI". In December, the startup rolled out Grok for Premium+ subscribers of X. Earlier this month, Musk said xAI would open-source Grok, days after the billionaire had sued OpenAI for allegedly abandoning its original mission in favor of a for-profit model.  

The 'Devil Comet' to be visible during solar eclipse in April

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The 'Devil Comet' to be visible during solar eclipse in April Stargazers in April will have the opportunity to witness a rare solar eclipse and the 'Devil's Comet', which only visits the inner solar system once every 71 years. While it will be closest to the Earth in June, it will be the brightest and easiest to see on April 21. The comet will be best viewed from a location with clear, dark skies and coincides with the solar eclipse on April 8. The 'Devil Comet' will be best visible using a telescope or binoculars, and will be clearer "if you don’t have a moon in the sky, if there’s no light pollution, and if the weather is really clear,” according to Dr Robert Massey, deputy executive director at the Royal Astronomical Society. The comet is named so because of its pointy, horn-shaped appearance, with tails of ice that melt and release gas when passing the sun. The cryovolcanic comet has eruptions of dust and gas from the buildup of pressure, which gi...

US requiring new AI safeguards for government use, transparency

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US requiring new AI safeguards for government use, transparency The White House said Thursday it is requiring federal agencies using artificial intelligence to adopt "concrete safeguards" by Dec. 1 to protect Americans’ rights and ensure safety as the government expands AI use in a wide range of applications. The Office of Management and Budget issued a directive to federal agencies to monitor, assess and test AI’s impacts "on the public, mitigate the risks of algorithmic discrimination, and provide the public with transparency into how the government uses AI." Agencies must also conduct risk assessments and set operational and governance metrics. The White House said agencies "will be required to implement concrete safeguards when using AI in a way that could impact Americans' rights or safety" including detailed public disclosures so the public knows how and when artificial intelligence is being used by the government. President Joe Biden signed an...

GameStop shares fall as video game retailer faces competition, weak spending

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GameStop shares fall as video game retailer faces competition, weak spending  GameStop's shares fell more than 14% on Wednesday, as the brick-and-mortar video game retailer reported a decline in fourth-quarter revenue on the back of a spending slowdown and rising competition from e-commerce firms. The Grapevine, Texas-based company also said late on Tuesday that it had cut an unspecified number of jobs, joining Japan's Sony and Electronic Arts in a bid to reduce costs as economic uncertainty hits discretionary spending. GameStop is set to lose more than $700 million in its market capitalization if the losses hold. As of Tuesday, GameStop's stock had fallen nearly 12% this year, as the retail and ecommerce environment remains intensely competitive for the company, which was once a mainstay of American malls. The company has a total of 4,169 stores as of Feb. 3, compared with 4,413 in January last year. GameStop was hailed as the pioneer of Wall Street...

Microsoft bringing keyboard, mouse support to Xbox Cloud Gaming titles

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Microsoft bringing keyboard, mouse support to Xbox Cloud Gaming titles Microsoft has finally decided to bring keyboard and mouse support (KBM) to select Cloud Gaming titles. The company has already started testing out the Alpha Skip-Ahead ring Check out KBM functions on web browsers (Edge and Chrome) and the Xbox PC app. To try out KBM support, users will need to be a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber and also be enrolled in PC Gaming Preview program. If testing out the feature through a web browser, users will be required to switch on Preview features. Some games might still display controller on screen, but once users begin using KBM, the game will move to its interface after moving the cursor or pressing a button. On the browser, KBM will only work when playing in full screen mode, and you must click on game stream mode for it to recognise mouse input. Xbox Cloud Gaming titles to gain KBM support are, Fortnite (browsers only), Ark Survival Evolved, Sea of Thieves, Grounded, Halo Infin...

Samsung launches new Android tablet

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Samsung launches new Android tablet Samsung quietly released an Android tablet, Galaxy Tab S6 Lite in Romania, without any launch event or press hype. The 2024 model of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has already been listed on their Romanian site. Featuring 10.4-inch TFT display, a 2000 x 1200 resolution, and decently sized bezels around the screen, the new tablet has an 8MP rear camera, while the front has a 5MP selfie camera hidden in the bezels. The device comes in three colors, Oxford Gray, Chiffon Pink, and Mint; along with an S Pen at purchase. The Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has an “octa-core processor," with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage for the base model, which can be expanded with a microSD card. Samsung has also added a 7,040mAh battery, 15-watt wired charging, optional LTE connectivity, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. While the features aren't as impressive, it seems like a decent midrange Android tablet. The company hasn't released specifics when it intends to launch the device i...

Musk's X Corp loses lawsuit against hate speech watchdog

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Musk's X Corp loses lawsuit against hate speech watchdog A US judge on Monday threw out Elon Musk's lawsuit against a nonprofit group that faulted him for allowing a rise in hate speech on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter. US District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco said it was "evident" that Musk's X Corp sued the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) because he didn't like its criticism, and thought its research would hurt X's image and scare advertisers away. "X Corp has brought this case in order to punish CCDH for CCDH publications that criticized X Corp--and perhaps in order to dissuade others who might wish to engage in such criticism," Breyer wrote. "It is impossible to read the complaint and not conclude that X Corp is far more concerned about CCDH's speech than it is its data collection methods," he added. X, in a statement, said it plans to appeal. The decision is a blow to Musk, the world's t...

Thousands of freelancers set to benefit as Pakistan’s largest IT park gets go-ahead

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Thousands of freelancers set to benefit as Pakistan’s largest IT park gets go-ahead Pakistan's tech landscape is set to receive a significant boost with the establishment of the country's largest IT Park in the federal capital. Covering an area of 3.3 acres, the ambitious project has received approval from the Special Investment Facilitation Committee (SIFC), marking a monumental stride forward for technological innovation in Pakistan. This landmark decision marks a significant stride forward for Pakistan’s burgeoning tech landscape, promising unparalleled opportunities for innovation and progress. Negotiations are already underway with key stakeholders such as Pakistan Software Export Board and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication to ensure the successful execution of the IT park project. Read more: Pindi’s first freelance IT Park poised for launch These collaborative efforts underscore the government’s commitment to nurturing a conducive environment ...

How to use iMessage on Windows

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How to use iMessage on Windows For many iPhone users, iMessage might be the default app, and though Mac has a wonderful integration of the app, it can be a struggle to have the app when using Windows. All is not lost, however, with a few steps, the iMessage app can be connected on Windows. Connect your iPhone with Windows using the Phone Link app, which can be downloaded on both ends, and be used to access iMessage from your PC. The trick, however, doesn't let previous messages show up in the chat before they were linked to the PC. Only messages sent after linking will be displayed on the PC. To download Phone Link, you will need iOS 14 or later and the latest Windows 11 version on your PC. Applications will need to be installed on both devices. The app can be found on Windows Search or manually downloaded through an external link. You will need to follow the screen instructions to connect your iPhone to Windows via Bluetooth QR code, similar to pairing the WhatsApp web app to yo...

Xiaomi CEO teases price on upcoming car, showrooms begin displaying vehicle

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Xiaomi CEO teases price on upcoming car, showrooms begin displaying vehicle Xiaomi's CEO said on Monday his goal for the firm's first electric vehicle was that it would be the "best looking, easiest to drive and smartest car" priced below 500,000 yuan ($69,424), as the Chinese electronics maker gears up for orders this week. The company will on Thursday evening announce its official price range and start taking orders for the car, dubbed the SU7, with the SU short for Speed Ultra. CEO Lei Jun's comments, made on his official Weibo account, mark the first time the company has confirmed the upper end of its price range. Anticipation for the car has been building up since Xiaomi unveiled the vehicle in December and announced it aimed to become one of the world's top five automakers. Lei has touted it as having technology capable of delivering acceleration better than Tesla cars and Porsche's EVs. Xiaomi stores in China also began displaying the car on Monda...

Threads to begin live sports scores

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Threads to begin live sports scores Twitter competitor Threads is gearing up to get into live sports score display on the platform, initially starting off with the NBA league. Meta Platform CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement recently with a promise to add more sports leagues in the future. During a game, users will simply have to search for their teams on the platform to get an updated score. Similar to X's feature, which was launched in 2017, Threads will display the last updated score even after the game is over and will even provide details of the game time, ahead of schedule, Scores will have two team logos, and clicking on any of these logos will direct users to a conversation online regarding the team. After deciding to remove political recommendations from the site, Threads is diving into sports, which it considers a decent trending topic on social media. NBA discourse has been quite a storm on X, with coverage and conversation about the pro basketball league. Meta ...

US lawsuit against Apple could make iPhone experience more consumer-friendly

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US lawsuit against Apple could make iPhone experience more consumer-friendly The US has filed a lawsuit against Apple with the aim of increasing competition for the iPhone and giving a leg up to smaller companies whose apps work with the ubiquitous device. In the lawsuit against the $2.7 trillion company, the US argues the iPhone maker hurt smaller rivals and drove up prices, and the Justice Department is asking the court "to restore competitive conditions in the markets affected by Apple's unlawful conduct". Apple said the lawsuit threatens the company and the principles that set its products apart in a competitive market. In Europe, consumers have already benefited after a slew of rules and regulations compelled Apple to make a number of user-friendly changes to its popular smartphone, suggesting similar changes could occur in the US if the Justice Department lawsuit is successful. Below are several areas where EU competition authorities have changed the rul...

Content creators worry about miseducation in a world without TikTok

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Content creators worry about miseducation in a world without TikTok It was December 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when "Ms. James", a public school teacher in a small rural Southern town, realized that her virtual students were not watching the grammar lessons she assigned them. That is, until she posted them on TikTok. Everything changed when she learned about the social media platform and created her profile as @iamthatenglishteacher, opens new tab. "In a day, I had one thousand followers, in a week I had ten thousand, and in six weeks I had one hundred thousand followers," she told Reuters. "Within six months, I had a million and a half," added the teacher of fifteen years, who asked not to use her full name for privacy. Now, she has 5.8 million followers on TikTok, but her educational content now faces a threat. The US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill last week that will give TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance...

How Google Gemini compares to ChatGPT

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How Google Gemini compares to ChatGPT Google has finally launched its own AI search engine to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot. After rebranding Bard chatbot to Gemini, Google last week re-launched the AI model, which has since received mixed reviews from its users. Gemini has a non-paying model, Gemini Pro, that is a lighter version of the Ultra model, but answers all queries posed. Gemini Ultra or Advanced, requires a Google One AI subscription, which is $20/month, and will give you better reasoning, coding, and instruction-following skills than Gemini Pro, along with improved multimodal and data analysis capabilities in the near future. The AI Premium plan is integrated with the Google Workspace account—draft emails in Gmail, documents in Docs, presentations in Sheets, and Google Meet recordings. When posed with sensitive, controversial political queries, Gemini was brief with the answers and asked users to Google them instead of providing details, esp...

Intel prepares for $100 billion spending spree across four US states

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Intel prepares for $100 billion spending spree across four US states Intel is planning a $100-billion spending spree across four US states to build and expand factories after securing $19.5 billion in federal grants and loans - and hopes to secure another $25 billion in tax breaks. The centerpiece of Intel's five-year spending plan is turning empty fields near Columbus, Ohio, into what CEO Pat Gelsinger described to reporters on Tuesday as "the largest AI chip manufacturing site in the world", starting as soon as 2027. The US government announced the federal funds to Intel under the CHIPS Act on Wednesday. Intel's plan will also involve revamping sites in New Mexico and Oregon and expanding operations in Arizona, where longtime rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co is also building a massive factory that it hopes will receive funding from President Joe Biden's push to bring advanced semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States. The funds pr...

Key takeaways from Nvidia's annual developer conference

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Key takeaways from Nvidia's annual developer conference Nvidia unveiled its next big AI chip along with several partnerships and software tools at its annual developer conference this week, seeking to maintain its lead in the race to power the artificial intelligence boom. Here are the key takeaways from the event: BLACKWELL CHIPS The B200 "Blackwell" AI chip is 30 times faster than its predecessor, the Hopper series, at tasks including helping chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini deliver answers. The chip can run large language models while using 25 times less energy and money than the highly popular Hopper series that helped turn Nvidia into a $2 trillion company. The new processor combines two squares of silicon the size of the company's previous offering. The chips are expected to hit the market later in 2024, according to CFO Colette Kress. Nvidia is working with contract chip manufacturer TSMC to avoid holdups in packaging chips, CEO J...

Nvidia unveils flagship AI chip, the B200, aiming to extend dominance

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Nvidia unveils flagship AI chip, the B200, aiming to extend dominance  Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang on Monday kicked off his company's annual developer conference with a slew of announcements designed to keep the chip maker in a dominant position in the artificial-intelligence industry. On a hockey arena stage in the heart of Silicon Valley, Huang introduced Nvidia's latest chip, which is 30 times speedier at some tasks than its predecessor. He also detailed a new set of software tools to help developers sell AI models more easily to companies that use technology from Nvidia, whose customers include most of the world's biggest technology firms. Nvidia's chip and software announcements at GTC 2024 will help determine whether the company can maintain its 80% share of the market for AI chips. "I hope you realize this is not a concert," Huang said, wearing his signature leather jacket and joking that the day's keynote would be full of dense math and s...

LinkedIn is developing in-app puzzle-based games

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LinkedIn is developing in-app puzzle-based games LinkedIn is developing in-app games to help users do more than just networking on the platform, with fun puzzle-like games. The scores from the games will reportedly affect how the company they work for, is ranked amongst others in the games. App researcher Nima Owji discovered the upcoming feature, posting screenshots of the games being developed in a tweet on X. The company confirmed the news with TechCrunch as well. The social networking company is working on a number of titles, including 'Queens', 'Inference', and 'CrossClimb'. While LinkedIn did provide new images of the games, they failed to release a timeline of when the games might be launched and if they would be mutually exclusive to premium users only.

TSMC considering advanced chip packaging capacity in Japan

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TSMC considering advanced chip packaging capacity in Japan Taiwan's TSMC is looking at building advanced packaging capacity in Japan, according to two sources familiar with the matter, a move that would add momentum to Japan's efforts to reboot its semiconductor industry. The deliberations are at an early stage, they added, declining to be identified as the information was not public. One option the chipmaking giant is considering is bringing its chip on wafer on substrate (CoWoS) packaging technology to Japan, according to one of the sources who was briefed on the matter. CoWoS is a high-precision technology that involves stacking chips on top of each other, boosting processing power while saving space and reducing power consumption. Currently, all of TSMC's CoWoS capacity is in Taiwan. No decisions on the scale of or the timeline for a potential investment have been made, the source said. TSMC, formally known as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, declined to comment...

Phone browser apps to use instead of Safari

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Phone browser apps to use instead of Safari Safari web browser is available on every iPhone or iPad by default, but there are other options available on the App Store, besides the main Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge app, offering more features and browsing tools. Browser apps like DuckDuckGo, Aloha, and Arc Search are unique in the browsing experience they offer, with extensive tools and features. Arc Search This browsing app is a new addition to the App Store, evolving from a desktop app to a mobile after its launch in 2023. The distinguishing feature of the app is that it uses AI to perform searches on behalf of users. The “Browse for Me” functionality displays search page results with AI from six different sources, providing a personalised webpage search answer to users' queries. Users can also search traditionally after selecting their preferred choice of search engines, including the default browser, Safari. The app also includes a Spaces feature that groups and organizes ...

Spotify to let audiobook authors market like musicians

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Spotify to let audiobook authors market like musicians Spotify announced a new feature this week that will enable audiobook authors and publishers to release teasers of their new books, with a similar Countdown Pages features as are used for musicians releasing new music albums. Expected to launch in mid-April, the Countdown Pages will feature a promo page and a countdown clock, allowing authors to engage with their fandom. The Countown Pages tool has been used by many renowned musicians in the industry, including Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran, to promote their upcoming albums, which automatically get added to their playlists upon release. The new feature is intended to combat 'artificial streaming' and increase revenue in the royalty pool. While some users welcome the upcoming feature, many will be concerned regarding audiobook deals, effects on sales of books and the market share covered from Amazon.

Reddit receives FTC inquiry on AI-related deals ahead of IPO

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Reddit receives FTC inquiry on AI-related deals ahead of IPO Reddit said on Friday the US Federal Trade Commission is conducting an inquiry focused on the company's sale, licensing and sharing of user-generated content with third parties to train artificial intelligence models. "Given the novel nature of these technologies and commercial arrangements, we are not surprised that the FTC has expressed interest in this area. We do not believe that we have engaged in any unfair or deceptive trade practice," according to Reddit. The company said it had received the letter from the FTC on March 14. In February, Reuters reported social media platform Reddit struck a deal with Alphabet's Google to make its content available for training the search engine giant's AI models. The contract with Google is worth about $60 million per year and showcases how Reddit is seeking to generate new revenue amid fierce competition for advertising dollars from the likes of TikTok and Met...