Year of the chatbot: Google’s Apprentice Bard is among many chatbots we’ll see released by the tech industry this year. Investors are excited, but performance and monetization are market hurdles.
Fed guarantees more tech layoffs: PayPal, HubSpot, and Splunk are the latest among tech to ax workers. With more interest rate hikes ahead, tech’s layoff game will continue.
Returns have always been expensive for retailers, but right now they’re at an all-time high. “We’re seeing a lot of the fast-fashion retailers like Zara and others like J.Crew, and Abercrombie & Fitch starting to charge return shipping for online orders,” said our analyst Sky Canaves. But there’s more to it than charging. Here are six strategies for reducing returns.
Intel, Groupon, Workday announce layoffs: The historic bloodletting in Big Tech isn’t letting up anytime soon. While laid-off workers are left to evaluate their options, some companies are eager for Silicon Valley talent.
The anti-layoff tech crowd: A handful of companies have shown resistance to the tech industry’s layoff trend. Their strategies offer lessons for Big Tech but will likely be ignored.
Can airborne 5G networks fill connectivity gaps? A new antenna technology can deliver 5G coverage from high-flying aircraft, showing the versatility of mobile networks in areas terrestrial networks can’t cover.
China looms large for US, EU AI regulation: A first-of-its-kind transatlantic deal to deploy AI for vital industries shows there’s more political appetite to accelerate AI than to regulate it.
Cruise and Waymo on notice in San Francisco: Repeated incidents of idled robotaxis are delaying buses and impeding emergency workers. Complaints could stall countrywide expansion.
China to get its own ChatGPT: Baidu is planning to release an AI chatbot for its search engine. But errors, censorship by Beijing, and difficulties with monetization could pose trouble.
Text-to-design is the next big thing in AI: ChatGPT is all the rage, but expect to see more-advanced AI chatbots soon. Meanwhile, text-to-code will be bad for software developers.
US, allies put pressure on China’s chipmaking efforts: Key producers of equipment critical for advanced chip design won’t be exported to China, which could lead to reprisal or wider geopolitical retaliation.
The cloud can help retailers manage their inventories, create smart pricing strategies, and improve the employee experience. The cloud can even make it easier for retailers to increase personalization.
Intel’s comeback hits a snag: One of the first technology companies to resort to layoffs and restructuring last year is bracing for billions of dollars in losses and a longer runway to recovery.
Google bows to regulatory pressure: The European Commission demanded Google’s services provide more transparency for consumers. The move is a win for regulators pushing back on Big Tech.
Dazzled, dazed, and confused by ChatGPT: Its creators were unsure about releasing a technology they’re now warning about as adoption skyrockets. Legislators respond to alarm bells with mixed messages.
Google’s innovation factory powers down: Area 120 was gutted during the tech giant’s recent layoff round. With a streamlined focus on revenue and AI, remaining projects could be the last.
Thousands more laid off: While most Big Tech companies have been forced to cut staff following pandemic-era hiring sprees, we’re now seeing large companies shed headcount to simply weather economic headwinds.
Troubling signs in the smartphone space: Smartphone shipments drop to the lowest level in a decade. Innovation has stagnated, foldables have failed to take off, and the market for 5G handsets has reached saturation.
Microsoft aims to claim king of Big Tech status: The tech giant’s revenue miss helped pull down cloud sector shares. Its big bet on AI could become a cautionary tale.
Volvo takes the self-driving road less traveled: The automaker’s use of experimental physics could help make AVs road ready. For now, the industry could protect stock values with honesty.