FCC moves to end discounts for Wi-Fi hotspot lending and school bus connectivity
The Federal Communications Commission voted to end discounts for library and school Wi-Fi hotspot lending programs on Tuesday, drawing criticism from lawmakers and librarians who say the move will make it more difficult for people who are low-income or live in rural areas to access the internet. The 2-1 vote reverses a Biden-era expansion of the discounts that allowed schools and libraries use E-rate funds for school bus Wi-Fi and hotspots so people could go online outside of schools and libraries.
OpenAI's Sora joins Meta in pushing AI-generated videos. Some are worried about a flood of 'AI slop'
OpenAI has launched a new social media app called Sora, aiming to capture the audience of short-form video platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Released on Tuesday, the app allows users to create AI videos in various styles, from anime to realistic. Some worry these AI-generated videos could crowd out genuine human creativity and degrade the internet with a flood of what's known as "AI slop." The app is currently available on Apple devices in the U.S. and Canada. OpenAI says it is building in safeguards to deter doomscrolling and addiction.
OpenAI's ChatGPT now lets users buy from Etsy, Shopify in push for chatbot shopping
NEW YORK (AP) — OpenAI is transforming ChatGPT into a virtual merchant to boost online commerce revenue. Users can now buy directly from Etsy sellers through the chatbot and will soon be able to do the same with Shopify sellers. Competing with Amazon and Google for purchase fees could provide a new income stream for OpenAI, which hasn't yet turned a profit. The company is collaborating with Stripe on technical standards for its "Instant Checkout" system. OpenAI says ChatGPT won't favor specific items, considering factors like availability and price.
'AI actor' Tilly Norwood stirs outrage in Hollywood
NEW YORK (AP) — Like thousands of actors, Tilly Norwood is looking for a Hollywood agent. But unlike most young performers aspiring to make it in the film industry, Tilly Norwood is an entirely artificial intelligence-made character. Norwood, dubbed Hollywood’s first “AI actor,” is the product of a company named Xicoia, which bills itself as the world’s first artificial intelligence talent studio. Since the Dutch producer and comedian Eline Van der Velden launched the digital character’s prospective career, Tilly Norwood has been all the talk in Hollywood. But not in a good way. Guilds, actors and filmmakers have met the Xicoia product with an immediate wave of backlash, protesting that AI should not have a starring role in the acting profession.
Amazon unveils new generation of AI-powered Kindle and other devices
NEW YORK (AP) — Online juggernaut Amazon Inc. unveiled its next generation of Kindle, Ring and Echo devices, among other gadgets, that are all powered by artificial intelligence and connected to Alexa+, its AI-infused personal assistant, which made its debut in February. The lineup, announced at a presentation and showcase in New York, includes new cameras for its Ring video monitoring device with a new AI facial recognition feature that allows users to register friends and family and notify them who is at the front door. Amazon’s effort to infuse more AI into its device line-up is part of technology’s latest craze as all the industry’s major players jockey to gain the upper hand.
California police pull over a self-driving Waymo for an illegal U-turn, but they can't ticket
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Police in Northern California pulled over a self-driving Waymo taxi after it made an illegal U-turn. But without a driver behind the wheel, they could not issue a moving violation ticket. The San Bruno Police Department wrote up the weekend encounter in social media posts that have gone viral. Police said that their “citation books don’t have a box for ‘robot’.” State law requires moving violations be issued to drivers or operators. A new state law that kicks in next year will allow law enforcement to report moving violations to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Waymo is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet.
Video gamer Electronic Arts to be bought in largest-ever private equity buyout valued at $55 billion
Electronic Arts, the maker of video games like “Madden NFL,” “Battlefield,” and “The Sims,” is being acquired by an investor group including Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in the largest private equity-funded buyout in history. The investors, who also include a firm managed by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, and the private equity firm Silver Lake Partners, valued the deal $55 billion. EA stockholders will receive $210 per share. The deal far exceeds the $32 billion price tag to take Texas utility TXU private in 2007, which had shattered records for leveraged buyouts. EA rose 4.5% Monday after jumping 15% on Friday.
How Electronic Arts' $55 billion go-private deal could impact the video game industry
NEW YORK (AP) — In what could become the largest-ever buyout funded by private equity, video game maker Electronic Arts has agreed to be acquired in a deal valued at $55 billion. And beyond the potentially record-breaking price tag, the deal could bring wider shifts in the gaming world. Electronic Arts owns popular titles like Madden NFL, Battlefield and The Sims — and going private could grant the company more freedom in developing and distributing these games. It also marks the latest move from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund PIF to invest in gaming. If the transaction gets the greenlight, PIF would join Silver Lake Partners and Affinity Partners, which run by U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, as Electronic Arts’ new owners.
Spotify founder steps down from CEO role
LONDON (AP) — Spotify has announced that founder Daniel Ek is stepping down as CEO to become executive chairman. The company, based in Stockholm, says Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström and Chief Business Officer Alex Norström will become co-CEOs. They will transition into their new roles on January 1. Ek says the change aligns titles with how the company has been operating since 2023. Spotify has more than 700 million subscribers and a vast library of content. The announcement caused Spotify shares to fall more than 5% in afternon trading.
AI is transforming how software engineers do their jobs. Just don't call it 'vibe-coding'
One of the hottest markets in the artificial intelligence industry is selling chatbots that write computer code. Some call it “vibe-coding” because it encourages an AI coding assistant to do the grunt work as human software developers work through big ideas. Others dislike that term. But there’s no question these tools are transforming the job experience for many tech workers amid an intense rivalry between leading AI companies to make the best one. Anthropic, maker of the Claude chatbot that's popular with software developers, just released its latest model. A number of other companies are pitching competing tools to big businesses.
