Author: Akin Naphtal

Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, has expressed concerns about tech giants competing for extensive content required to train artificial intelligence, specifically criticizing Google for securing costly and exclusive agreements with publishers, effectively monopolizing content. Amid the ongoing U.S. trial against Google, Nadella drew parallels between these efforts and the initial stages of distribution deals. This trial marks a significant antitrust case for the U.S., reminiscent of the one filed against Microsoft in 1998. The U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust battle against Google revolves around distribution agreements, which are seen as the central issue. According to the government, Google, which holds around 90%…

Visa has launched a $100 million venture fund to support start-ups in the field of generative artificial intelligence, following major technology players like Microsoft and Google, who have also invested in the AI sector. The popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT has contributed to the growing interest in AI, and has spawned an AI model race, where giant tech corporations try to outdo each other by developing their own AI models. Visa’s chief product and strategy officer, Jack Forestell, in a statement revealed that he believes that generative AI has the potential to revolutionize commerce and therefore it is important to understand…

Fortinet, a leading global cybersecurity company, has recently joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) initiative, which serves as a voluntary platform for businesses to develop, implement, and disclose responsible practices. In addressing pressing societal challenges such as climate change, cybercrime, and the long-term effects of the pandemic, it is crucial that the private sector, NGOs, and governments collaborate. Fortinet is dedicated to playing its part in creating fair, secure, and sustainable societies. Fortinet’s senior vice president and global head of sustainability, Barbara Maigret, explained that by becoming a member of the UNGC, Fortinet has demonstrated its commitment to adhering…

Meta Platforms has begun working towards introducing ad-free subscription plans for Instagram and Facebook users in Europe. A source from the company stated that several pricing plans have been discussed, but the 10 euros ($10.49) per month plan is the most feasible. Another source revealed that the subscription plan will be implemented in the coming months. The proposal is Meta’s attempt to comply with European Union regulations that threaten its ability to personalize ads for users without their consent, ultimately hurting its major revenue source. The company believes offering users a choice between a free, ad-supported plan and a paid…

UK broadband company, Nexfibre, has appointed Rajiv Datta as its new CEO, succeeding Bernado Quin, who was the interim CEO since March 2023. Datta, who has over 25 years of experience in the digital infrastructure and fixed telecoms sectors will assume his new role role on Tuesday, 3rd October. Datta’s experience encompasses building and managing large fibre-based networks and services across Europe, Asia and the US, including at Colt Technologies and Zayo (formerly AboveNet Communications). Datta’s appointment comes as the London-based company pursues its aim to deliver the network to five million homes by 2026, using the latest XGS-PON architecture…

Chinese short video app, TikTok has decided to halt e-commerce transactions in Indonesia starting Wednesday, 3rd October, following the country’s ban on e-commerce transactions on social media. The ByteDance-owned social media platform added in a statement that it had every intention of complying with the regulation, and would coordinate with Indonesia’s government regarding its future plans. “Our priority is to remain compliant with local laws and regulations. As such, we will no longer facilitate e-commerce transactions in TikTok Shop Indonesia,” the company said. It was unclear from the statement whether TikTok intends to create a new e-commerce app, separate from…

US smartphone and technology giant, Apple, says it has identified some issues which can cause the new iPhone 15 series smartphones to overheat, including an iOS 17 software bug which will be fixed in an upcoming update. After customers complained about the new iPhones suffering from a heating issue, Apple has replied that the device may feel warmer in the first few days “after setting up or restoring the device because of increased background activity.” The company added that “another issue involves some recent updates to third-party apps that are causing them to overload the system.” The tech giant mentioned…

Cryptocurrency exchange platform, Coinbase, has announced that it has been awarded a Major Payment Institution (MPI) licence to operate in Singapore by the island country’s central bank. The licence which was granted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), will permit Coinbase to offer digital payment token services to individuals and institutions in Singapore, which is fast emerging as a rising crypto hub in Asia. Singapore has attracted digital asset companies from countries including China and India. Coinbase was initially granted approval to offer payment services in Singapore in October 2022. A member of the world’s largest listed crypto exchange,…

German automaker, Volkswagen (VW) has revealed in a statement released on Friday, 29th September, that it intends to build its Trinity electric vehicles (EV) at its factory in Zwickau, East Germany. The Trinity electric car, based on VW’s new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), for electric cars was initially scheduled for launch in 2026, but CEO of Volkswagen Group, Oliver Blume, postponed the launch to 2028 to relieve pressure on VW’s struggling software subsidiary, Cariad. “It was decided that there was no need to build an additional plant in Wolfsburg Warmenau,” the German carmaker said after a supervisory board meeting during…

On Sunday, Elon Musk tested his social network’s game streaming capabilities by live-streaming himself playing through a Diablo IV dungeon. The stream, which was broadcasted on X (formerly Twitter), lasted for 52 minutes. The initial part of the stream involved setting it up correctly with the help of a staff member. The maximum concurrent audience reached 1,300 viewers, with a total of 20,000 viewers by the end of the stream. Musk created a new handle specifically for this task and did not promote the stream on his main account. During the stream, he played a tier 69 dungeon and hosted…