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Microsoft and Apple back away from OpenAI board

Microsoft and Apple have decided against taking up board seats at OpenAI. The decision comes as regulatory bodies intensify their scrutiny of big tech's involvement in AI development and deployment.

According to a Bloomberg report on July 10, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter, Microsoft has officially communicated its withdrawal from the OpenAI board. This move comes approximately a year after the Redmond-based company made a substantial $13 billion investment in...

10 July 2024 | Apple

Google’s dilemma: AI expansion vs achieving climate goals

Google is currently grappling with a major dilemma: finding a way to maintain its impressive progress in AI technology while also staying true to its goal of minimising carbon emissions.

In its 2024 Environmental Report, Google discloses a concerning trend: a staggering 50% surge in emissions over the past five years. This surge can be attributed mainly to the heightened energy requirements of its AI-powered data centres. This alarming surge threatens to derail Google's ambitious...

3 July 2024 | Applications

Zoom now wants to be known ‘as an AI-first collaboration platform’

Zoom doesn't want to be 'that video call company' anymore—here's its surprising new direction

COVID-19 has, in a sense, transformed Zoom from a business-only tool into a household name. Now, the $19 billion video-calling giant is looking to redefine itself, which means leaving behind much of what has made it a mainstay throughout its decade-plus history.

Graeme Geddes, Zoom's chief growth officer, recently told Fortune, "Zoom is so much more than just video meetings. Video is our heritage—so we're going to continue to lean in there, push the market, there's a lot of...

3 July 2024 | Artificial Intelligence

EU probes Microsoft-OpenAI and Google-Samsung AI deals

The European Union has intensified its antitrust scrutiny on AI deals, starting with high-profile collaborations between Microsoft-OpenAI and Google-Samsung.

Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission's executive vice president for competition policy, warned that AI is "developing at breakneck speed" and revealed that multiple preliminary investigations are underway into various AI-related market practices. Her concerns about potential anti-competitive practices stem from major...

1 July 2024 | Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft details ‘Skeleton Key’ AI jailbreak

Microsoft has disclosed a new type of AI jailbreak attack dubbed "Skeleton Key," which can bypass responsible AI guardrails in multiple generative AI models. This technique, capable of subverting most safety measures built into AI systems, highlights the critical need for robust security measures across all layers of the AI stack.

The Skeleton Key jailbreak employs a multi-turn strategy to convince an AI model to ignore its built-in safeguards. Once successful, the model becomes...

28 June 2024 | Artificial Intelligence

Tech war escalates: OpenAI shuts door on China

This week, OpenAI has decisively blocked access to its site from mainland China and Hong Kong, cutting off developers and companies from some of the most advanced AI technologies available today.

OpenAI's move is not surprising given the increasing geopolitical tensions and technology rivalry; however, it represents an inflection point in AI that will further turn up the heat on rather icy tech cold war. The result is massive repercussions on the future AI landscape in China and...

28 June 2024 | Apple

AI comes to Ireland’s remote Islands through Microsoft’s ‘Skill Up’ program

On Inishbofin, a small island off the western coast of Ireland where the population hovers around 170 and the main industries are farming, fishing and tourism, a quiet technology revolution has been taking place.

Artificial intelligence (AI), once thought to be the exclusive domain of big cities and tech hubs, is making its way to the furthest corners of rural Ireland, empowering locals with cutting-edge tools to boost their businesses and preserve their traditional...

19 June 2024 | Applications

Microsoft unveils new Copilot+ PCs featuring advanced AI capabilities

Microsoft has launched a new type of personal computer designed with AI capabilities, underscoring the company's commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology across its product lineup.

This new category not only boosts Microsoft's ventures but also positions it to compete directly with AI-led advancements from tech giants such as Alphabet and Apple. During an event at Microsoft's campus in Redmond, Washington, CEO Satya Nadella unveiled the Copilot+ PCs....

21 May 2024 | Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI set to unveil AI-driven challenger to Google Search

Google's long-standing supremacy in the search engine arena may soon be challenged as OpenAI, boosted by its partnership with Microsoft, is reportedly stepping up to launch its own AI-driven search product.

According to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters, OpenAI is scheduled to unveil its AI-powered search tool on Monday. The introduction of this product coincides closely with the timing of Google’s annual I/O conference, which starts on Tuesday and is...

10 May 2024 | Applications

Coalition of news publishers sue Microsoft and OpenAI

A coalition of major news publishers has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI, accusing the tech giants of unlawfully using copyrighted articles to train their generative AI models without permission or payment.

First reported by The Verge, the group of eight publications owned by Alden Global Capital (AGC) – including the Chicago Tribune, New York Daily News, and Orlando Sentinel – allege the companies have purloined “millions" of their articles without permission...