Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has announced the launch of a new chatbot tool called “Bard”. It is built on a large language model and combines the breadth of the world’s knowledge with the power, intelligence and creativity of AI. Alphabet is sharing Bard with “trusted testers” ahead of making it more widely available to the public in the coming weeks, as they seek to capitalize on the growing popularity of chatbot tools.
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Dell Technologies has announced plans to lay off 5% of its workforce due to the uncertain economic climate, following similar cost-cutting measures taken by other large tech companies. The announcement comes as the tech industry has been hit hard by the economic downturn, with interest rate hikes contributing to the financial woes of many companies. Despite the job cuts, Dell has reported several strong quarters due to the steps taken to stay ahead of the downturn impacts.
Elon Musk has been found not guilty of deceiving investors with tweets in 2018, after a jury in San Francisco deliberated for less than two hours. The verdict is seen as a major vindication for Musk, and a sign that the courts are willing to give tech executives some leeway when it comes to their public statements. The case is now closed, and Musk is free to continue leading Tesla and Twitter without the threat of legal action.
A California jury has ruled in favor of Elon Musk, finding the Tesla CEO not liable for losses experienced by shareholders following his 2018 tweet about taking the electric car maker private. The jury found that Musk did not act with “actual malice” or with the intent to harm investors, resulting in him having to forfeit his position as Tesla’s executive chairman and pay millions of dollars in fines and legal fees. The verdict is a relief for Musk, who has been under intense scrutiny since the tweet was sent and could have had a major impact on the future of Tesla and his role as CEO.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will appear before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in March to answer questions about the platform's consumer privacy and data security practices, its impact on young users, and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. The committee is concerned about the safety of Americans and their data, and is looking to hold Big Tech accountable. The hearing will be chaired by Washington Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and will include testimony from Chew, as well as Senators Mark Warner and Marco Rubio.
Elon Musk, CEO of Twitter, visited Capitol Hill on Thursday to meet with House leaders from both parties and receive a law enforcement briefing. The meeting was likely related to the fairness of the platform and the ongoing debate over tech regulation. It is unclear what the outcome of the meeting was, but it is the latest in a series of high-profile visits to Capitol Hill by tech executives.
IBM and SAP are cutting thousands of jobs as they prepare for a possible economic slowdown. Dow, a chemical company, is also cutting thousands of jobs as part of a restructuring effort. The job losses are a sign of the uncertain times ahead, and it is unclear how they will affect the global economy.
Meta, the tech giant, announced Wednesday that former President Donald Trump will be reinstated on Facebook and Instagram "in the coming weeks" with new guardrails in place to deter repeat offenses. Nick Clegg, the company's president of global affairs, said the suspension was a product of "extreme and highly unusual circumstances" and that Trump now faces heightened penalties for repeat offenses. Meta has not yet provided any further details on the reinstated accounts or the new guardrails.