Tech
Apple says it is halting data protection tool for UK users
Apple said on Friday it was ending full end-to-end encryption for British customers and iPhone users, following US media reports the UK government had asked for global data access. "Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the United Kingdom to new users and current UK users will… Read
China's Alibaba sees revenue surge on back of artificial intelligence, e-commerce
Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba Group Holding posted its fastest revenue growth in more than a year, beating analyst expectations as it capitalizes on the artificial intelligence boom in China. Alibaba said Thursday that its revenue for the quarter ended December grew 8% to 280.2 billion yuan ($38.38 billion) compared to… Read
Spotify adds more AI-generated audiobooks
Spotify has begun accepting audiobooks narrated by digital voices created by artificial intelligence software firm ElevenLabs, pitching it as a cost-effective option for authors. The Sweden-based music, book and podcast streaming service began accepting digitally narrated audiobooks in late 2023 with Google Play Books as its partner. Audiobooks narrated by… Read
Australian children able to bypass age limit set by social media platforms, report shows
Children in Australia are able to easily bypass the minimum age limit imposed by social media platforms, a report by the country's online safety regulator showed on Thursday, ahead of a landmark ban by the government on access for those under 16. ESafety's report combined results from a national survey… Read
Trump administration to press ahead with Amazon, Meta antitrust cases
The Trump administration will press on with its antitrust cases against Amazon and Meta, a top official said on Thursday, vowing to maintain pressure on Big Tech's market dominance. In an interview with FOX Business, newly appointed Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Andrew Ferguson confirmed that ongoing cases against Amazon… Read
Apple adds lower-price iPhone 16e to line-up
Apple on Wednesday introduced a new iPhone 16e model with a lower price tag as the company seeks to revive sales of its iconic device. Apple touted the iPhone 16e as having many features found in more expensive models, including Apple-tailored artificial intelligence features and integration with OpenAI's ChatGPT. "iPhone… Read
How U.S. tech giants supplied Israel with AI models, raising questions about tech's role in warfare
U.S. tech giants have quietly empowered Israel to track and kill many more alleged militants more quickly in Gaza and Lebanon through a sharp spike in artificial intelligence and computing services. But the number of civilians killed has also soared, along with fears that these tools are contributing to the… Read
Musk launches 'scary smart' AI chatbot
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company unveiled Monday the latest version of its chatbot, Grok 3, which the billionaire hopes will find traction in a highly competitive sector contested by the likes of ChatGPT and China's DeepSeek. The launch comes as the world's richest man is deploying the enormous powers granted… Read
Meta plans undersea cable to link five continents
Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta will lay an undersea cable stretching across five continents to carry data, including for developing artificial intelligence. The cable will run for more than 50,000 kilometers between the U.S., South Africa, India, Brazil and "other regions", Meta wrote in a blog. Global digital communication… Read
Online shopping giants bet on AI to curb clothes returns
From sizing advice via selfies to robot stock-takers, online shopping behemoths have increasingly turned to artificial intelligence in a bid to stem the flow of bad-for-business clothes returns. Up to 30 percent of fashion items bought on the internet are sent back, according to a late 2024 study by consulting… Read
