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This Week's Top Tech News

This newsletter delivers the most important technology news, covering key developments in AI, China's tech landscape, and other significant global trends. The news this week is packed with developments across various sectors.

• EU demands tech transfer from Chinese battery companies, marking a symbolic shift in power dynamics.
• Chinese robotaxi company Pony.ai plans a New York IPO, while Baidu reports substantial robotaxi usage.
• Suspicions of Chinese freighter involvement in Baltic subsea cable damage raise concerns about potential sabotage.
• Australia's new law bans social media for under-16s, sparking debate over its effectiveness and implementation.

AI Advancements and Industry News

The AI news this week highlights significant advancements and corporate strategies. OpenAI's growth and expansion illustrate the booming market for AI solutions. The news also shows increasing competition in the AI chip market.

• OpenAI now employs 300 salespeople, aggressively targeting corporate clients for its API and products.
• OpenAI allows employees to sell up to $1 billion in stock, potentially improving retention and boosting investment.
• Amazon intensifies its efforts to compete with Nvidia in AI chip manufacturing.
• Anthropic releases a protocol simplifying LLM communication with deterministic systems (databases).

China's Expanding Tech Influence

China continues to be a major player in the global technology news. The news showcases both opportunities and concerns related to China's growing technological prowess.

• The EU's demand for tech transfer from Chinese companies signifies a changing geopolitical landscape.
• Pony.ai's IPO and Baidu's robotaxi progress highlight China's advancements in autonomous vehicle technology.
• Concerns about Chinese involvement in Baltic cable damage raise questions about cybersecurity and geopolitical stability.

Meta's Fight Against Cybercrime

Meta's actions against "pig butchering" scams demonstrate its commitment to combating online fraud. The news shows the scale of the problem and the technological arms race between malicious actors and companies working to combat them.

• Meta led a global takedown of "pig butchering" operations, targeting boiler rooms using forced labor for scams.
• The use of LLMs to automate these scams is a concern that needs to be addressed proactively.

Starlink's Cellular Expansion

Starlink's plans for cellular service represent a significant technology news development. The news shows both potential and limitations for satellite-based communication technology.

• The FCC approved Starlink's plan to provide cellular service in dead zones using the 1900-2000MHz range.
• Limitations include outdoor use only and initially limited bandwidth for text messages due to physics constraints.
• Starlink's plans to deploy thousands of satellites highlight its ambition to expand its services.

Other Significant Technology News

This section covers additional technology news items, covering various aspects of the digital landscape.

• Italian police shut down a €3 billion-a-year TV show piracy operation with 22 million subscribers.
• A Google internal document analyzes potential forms of a substantial Apple ad business.
• An interview with the CEO of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company developing advanced LLMs.
• Google's DeepMind team suggests future scientific discoveries enabled by AI.
• Analysis of how YouTube has absorbed podcasting, due to its platform advantages.
• Discussion of the unbundling of Twitter's functions into platforms like Reddit, Discord, and Bluesky.
• Details of a legal dispute between two Amazon influencers over copyright and aesthetic similarities.
• Coca-Cola's use of generative AI for a holiday advertisement.
• The cancellation of an Apple movie sequel due to disputes over theatrical release.

Data and Machine Learning Insights

The news this week highlights the importance of data in machine learning and AI. The news discusses the growing need for licensing data and strategies for acquiring and utilizing data effectively in AI model training.

• Ofcom's Online Nations report provides extensive data on digital media usage and habits.
• Salesforce and Adobe's Black Friday sales reports offer insights into online retail trends.
• A Google Drive folder containing 155 end-of-year trend reports underscores the massive amount of data being generated.

The Future of Data in Large Language Models (LLMs)

The article’s column discusses the complex relationship between data and LLMs. The news explores the ethical and economic implications of using vast amounts of data to train these models and the need for clear licensing agreements.

• The article questions the value of "fresh" data versus the sheer volume of data for LLM training.
• It explores the implications of using existing models to summarise web content, raising concerns about the implicit social contract between publishers and search engines.
• The discussion highlights the need for clearer guidelines on data licensing and compensation for publishers whose content is used for training LLMs and providing AI responses.

Outside Interests and Additional News

This section covers interesting news from various fields, showcasing the broad scope of information that can be connected through technology and AI.

• Drones and image recognition help discover hundreds of previously unknown Nazca Lines in Peru.
• Analysis of the user experience of Lego interface panels.
• New information emerges about the D.B. Cooper plane hijacking.
• A profile of the last elevator operator in Los Angeles.
• Tom Whitwell's "52 things I learned in 2024" list.