Clearview AI’s quest to grab 100B photos could be running out of time, money: The company is raising funds for a database of every person’s face, but investment should go into removing racial bias.
Labor exploitation for EV battery mining is a problem that tech can help fix: Advances in AI and 3D modeling could reduce labor-intensive mining, but battery recycling might stem the problem.
Virgin Galactic’s bumpy stock ride raises questions about space tourism’s viability: The nascent space tourism industry is proving popular among the wealthy, but long-term market viability is unclear without affordable options.
Chamber aligns with Big Tech: The largest US lobbying group is going against the FTC as Big Tech’s new enforcer. Its involvement could make it harder for the government to enforce antitrust laws.
Cloud consolidation continues with Akamai’s $900M acquisition of Linode: Can compressing cloud behemoths become unmanageable?
France is expanding its nuclear power arsenal: The country’s move to add more reactors will help with energy issues in the long run, but short-term solutions are lacking.
TSMC $12B US chip plant delayed by months: A lack of sufficient skilled labor in Arizona spells trouble for the semiconductor plant meant to bolster chip supply.
With Ubisoft as their only stalwart, NFTs face an unclear future in games: The French developer’s NFT plans have brought employee relations to a boil.
UK regulators warn that banks must be able to prove that AI use in loan applications won’t worsen discrimination against minorities.
ES: Mounting tensions between Russia and Ukraine could leave necessary chip components in short supply: The region produces neon and palladium, which could further choke chip supplies if unavailable.
Chinese companies can learn much about metaverse from US counterparts: Heavy tech regulations in the country have slowed tech firm’s ventures into the virtual world.
Tesla recalls are mounting: Issues range from the dangerous to the absurd but expose quality-control issues traditional carmakers have long solved. What can the industry learn from the deepening integration of tech?
Apple responds to AirTag tracking complaints by making alerts louder: Updates make tracking people without consent harder, but the move might not be enough to deter stalkers and thieves.
Twitter invested in Bitcoin payment provider OpenNode’s $20 million funding round.
$5B allotted to build half a million EV charging stations: The Biden administration sets up the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to build an alternative fuel corridor in 50 states to help power the transition to EVs but will this be enough for the expected onslaught of EVs?
SSD shortage, price hike imminent due to plant shutdowns: Western Digital and Kioxia reported losing 6.5 exabytes of NAND storage to contamination, which will only pile on existing component shortages.
Microsoft meets regulators in the middle as it seeks approval for Activision Blizzard deal: The tech giant published a list of principles in a bid to allay antitrust concerns.
Twitter’s wide net of new features yields mixed earnings results: The platform has tested a bevy of fresh features and revenue streams, but growth is slowing.
Nissan is all in on EVs—except in US: Stringent emissions standards and industry-wide push for EVs could leave future gas and diesel engine development in the dust.
US Army commits to EV transition to lower emissions: Challenges include charging infrastructure in the field, effect of battery weight on military vehicles, and lithium-ion’s inherent volatility.