EU launches initial probe into whether Spanish regulations breach law after landmark court ruling favours ride-hailing apps
TECHNOLOGY POWERING BUSINESS
July 2023
US Lawmakers Call For Stricter AI Chip Export Controls
Two senior US lawmakers call for further export restrictions on AI chip exports to China as domestic chip industry protests
Musk Says X Users Reach ‘New High’
Elon Musk says users of X – formerly Twitter – reach 'new high' amidst sudden rebrand and launch of Meta competitor Threads
Tech Investors Flee China As Political Tensions Worsen
Private capital fundraising in Asia-Pacific on track for 10-year low as VC funding in China drops nearly 55 percent, report finds
Ministry of Defence Investigates Emails Sent To Russian Ally
Ministry of Defence investigates after 'small number' of emails sent to Russian ally Mali instead of US military due to typing errors
Researchers Disable AI Chatbot Safeguards
Researchers find automated way of removing guardrails that prevent ChatGPT, Bard, other AI chatbots from generating harmful content
Silicon UK In Focus Podcast: The State of MedTech
What is the current state of MedTech? Across the MedTech landscape where are the most transformative innovations making a tangible difference to patient care? And what does the future of MedTech look like?
Cyber-Attacks Disrupt Kenyan Government Systems
Kenya promises visas on arrival after series of DDoS attacks disrupts online government, mobile payment and other systems
Mark Zuckerberg Admits More Than Half Of Users Have Left Threads
Honeymoon for Twitter rival Threads is over, but Meta Platforms plans “retention-driving hooks” for the messaging app
AMD To Invest $400m In India Over Five Years
US chipmaker AMD confirms big investment in India, plus construction of largest design centre, as New Delhi continues charm offensive
Campaign Finance Charge Against FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried Dropped
Federal prosecutors drop another charge against FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried, due to extradition agreement with Bahamas
Bipartisan Bill Seeks New US Tech Regulator
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Elizabeth Warren, back bill to create new US government tech commission
EU Investigates Microsoft Over Teams Bundling With Office
Bundling of video and chat app Teams into Microsoft Office suite triggers European Commission antitrust investigation
Samsung Extends Chip Production Cuts After $7 Billion Loss
Electronics giant extends production cuts of memory chips after $7 billion loss in first half of 2023, but says the worse is over
Brand Voice
Cisco AppDynamics Study Highlights Hybrid Workplace Complexities
Cyberattack Impacts Two Ambulance Services
Supply chain attack. Cyberattack on IT supplier impacts two major ambulance services in the United Kingdom
Facebook Parent Meta Profits From Advertising Increase
Year of efficiency paying off for Mark Zuckerberg, as Meta enjoys a strong second quarter thanks in part to advertising uptick
Is a Chat GP Coming?
Recent reports assessing the value of generative AI in healthcare are often conflicting with their conclusions. Against this background, what does this mean for the development of chat-based medical services?
Listed US Firms Must Disclose Cyber Breaches In Four Days
US financial regulator adopts new rules to require publicly traded companies to disclose hacking incidents in just four days
Apple Mulls Price Rise For iPhone Pro – Report
Amid popularity of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models, Apple is reportedly considering raising the prices for new Pro handsets
Virgin Media O2 To Axe 2,000 UK Jobs
Price of 2001 merger? Virgin Media O2 is to axe 12 percent of its workforce, as it seeks to “simplify” its operating model
Alphabet CFO Steps Aside, As Q2 Profit Beats Expectations
CFO Ruth Porat to take charge of Google's 'Other Bets' portfolio, as second quarter profit beat expectations
Microsoft Signals Heavy AI Spending, Amid Healthy FY23 Results
Software giant beats Wall Street Q4 expectations, as firm details heavy spending to meet demand for AI services
Meta, Microsoft Own Trademarks For New Twitter Name
Potential trouble for Elon Musk as it emerged that Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and hundreds of others, own X trademarks
Silicon Insights: The State of MarTech: Part 2
In the latest Silicon Insight interview we are considering the current state of MarTech and how this will evolve into the future with our special guest Michele Reale, Executive Media Director at twogether Creative.
Worldcoin Holds Official Launch Amidst Crypto Crackdown
Sam Altman's Worldcoin cryptocurrency project holds official launch, but remains unavailable in US amidst crackdown on digital assets
EU ‘Set For In-Depth Probe’ Of $20bn Adobe-Figma Buy
European Union officials set to begin in-depth probe of Adobe's $20bn acquisition of Figma following moves by US and UK regulators
SoftBank In Deal With Symbiotic For AI-Powered Warehouses
SoftBank and Symbiotic joint venture GreenBox to offer capacity in automated warehouses, amidst frenzied interest in artificial intelligence
Tesla ‘Meeting With Indian Govt’ Over Car Plant
Tesla reportedly meeting with Indian commerce minister as it looks to build domestic hub for low-cost car for domestic and export markets
Google Ordered To Pay $338.7m Over Chromecast Patents
Texas federal court orders Google to pay $338.7 million to New York developer for infringing video-transmission patents with Chromecast
China Looks To AI-Generated Hosts For Livestream Sales
Major e-commerce sites and brands are experimenting with AI-generated hosts to sell products in livestreams in China
Twitter Scraps Iconic Blue Bird, Officially Rebrands As ‘X’
Twitter officially rebrands as 'X' as Elon Musk revamps site to turn it into 'everything app' based on communications and payments
Brand Voice
Key insights for technologists navigating on-premises and hybrid infrastructures
The Silicon UK In Focus Podcast is 100!
As the Silicon In Focus Podcast reaches 100 episodes, listen to the top 5 podcast chosen by our Editor-in-Chief.
Amazon Builds $120m Florida Facility For Internet Satellites
Amazon says building massive processing facility in Florida for Project Kuiper broadband satellites as it races to catch up to SpaceX
CMA Publishes Microsoft Arguments As It Denies Bowing To Pressure
CMA publishes Microsoft's arguments for reconsideration of Activision Blizzard deal after FTC court defeat
Toyota Looks To Lunar Water To Power Manned Moon Vehicle
Toyota building Lunar Cruiser manned moon vehicle with regenerative fuel cell that produces electricity from sunlight and lunar water
Micron Chief ‘Meets With Chinese Government’ Amidst Sanctions
Micron chief executive Sanjay Mehrotra reportedly meets with China's Ministry of Commerce after national security ban on its products
ASML Boosts Revenue Outlook On China Demand
Dutch chipmaking equipment manufacturer ASML boosts full-year revenue estimate as Chinese customers stockpile gear
Start-Up Eve To Build ‘Flying Taxis’ In Brazil
Embraer spin-off Eve Air Mobility to produce 'flying taxis' at expanded Embraer plant in Taubate, near Sao Paolo and Embraer's headquarters
Gamers Trick AI-Generated News Site Into Posting Fake Article
Hail Glorbo: World of Warcraft gamers trick website into posting AI-generated article based on comments about nonexistent feature
AI Firms Agree Safeguards, Including Watermarks For AI Content
White House says AI firms including OpenAI, Google and others have agreed voluntary AI safeguards that includes use of watermarks
FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried Sued For More Than $1Bn
FTX files lawsuit against former CEO, seeking to recoup more than $1 billion, and alleging funds were used to cover his legal defence
Mobile Roaming Charging Sees Ofcom Propose New Rules
After most UK mobile operators reinstated roaming charges for users in Europe, regulator proposes mandatory alerts
Silicon UK Pulse: Your Tech News Update: Episode 12
Welcome to Silicon UK Pulse – your roundup of the latest tech news and developments impacting your business for the week ending 21/07/2023.
Apple Developing ChatGPT AI Equivalent – Report
Report suggests Apple is quietly developing its own artificial intelligence tools to challenge those of OpenAI, Google etc
Twitter Seeks End Of Privacy Agreement With FTC
Elon Musk's Twitter asks US court to nullify consent order with FTC over data breaches, and takes aim at prominent Musk critic
Apple Warns Of FaceTime, iMessage Withdrawal In UK Over Act Changes
UK government warned by Apple it will not comply with proposed updates to Investigatory Powers Act, and could withdraw FaceTime, iMessage
TSMC Delays Production At Arizona Fab, Amid Skills Shortage
Production start at vaunted Arizona chip factory pushed back a year by TSMC, due to shortage of skilled workers
UK Selected For Battery Gigafactory For Jaguar Land Rover EVs
Tata Group, the Indian owner of Jaguar Land Rover, has selected Somerset in the UK to build a £4 billion battery gigafactory
DTX Europe 2023
Global IT Spend To Rise Amid Automation Focus, Says Gartner
Economic uncertainty and ongoing struggle with skills shortage, will not impact IT spending for businesses, Gartner finds
Meta Updates Open Source AI Model With Llama 2
Competition for OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard as Meta makes its free open source AI model available on Microsoft Azure
Microsoft, Activision Extend Deal Deadline To Secure UK Approval
Microsoft continues to pull out all the stops to secure its $69 billion acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard, as deal is extended
Estee Lauder Hacked And Data Stolen
Cyberattack and data theft against New York-based cosmetic giant Estee Lauder disrupts some business operations
UK Clears Broadcom’s $61 Billion VMware Purchase
Acquisition of VMware by Broadcom will not weaken competition - the UK's CMA provisionally rules this week
AI Discussed At UN Security Council Meeting
Amid calls for creation of UN body to oversea and govern artificial intelligence, the UN Security Council meets to discuss the tech
Record Price For Engineer’s First Generation Apple iPhone
Unopened 'holy grail' Apple iPhone from 2007 belonging to original engineering team member, fetches record price at auction
NHS Cybersecurity Strategy to 2030: Is it Enough to Protect Healthcare?
Healthcare was one of the three most attacked industries in 2022, with the average cost of a breach exceeding $10 million. Alongside the onslaught of COVID-19 and a series of economic difficulties, the latest barrage of cyberattacks is ...
Head Of Engineering For Trump’s Truth Social ‘Quits’
Head of engineering for Donald Trump's Truth Social reportedly quits as blank-cheque company DWAC agrees to $18m SEC settlement
SEC ‘Disappointed’ At Ripple Court Defeat
SEC chair Gary Gensler says regulator 'disappointed' at partial loss in Ripple case as it seeks to regulate crypto 'Wild West'
Tesla Sues Australian Company Over Patent Infringement
Tesla sues Australian supercapacitor manufacturer over alleged infringement of two patents, in response to earlier action
Tesla Produces First Cybertruck At Texas Plant
Tesla produces first Cybertruck at Texas Gigafactory four years after original announcement and two years after original production target
US Chip Group Warns Against More China Sanctions
Semiconductor Industry Association urges US government to halt new chip sanctions on China until it has conferred with industry and experts
China Delivery Giant Meituan Expands Livestream Commerce
Chinese food delivery giant Meituan expands livestreaming to attract consumers in face of competition from TikTok sister site Douyin
Musk Says Twitter Has Lost Half Of Ad Revenue
Elon Musk says Twitter revenue down by half since acquisition as company faces new competitor Threads from Facebook owner Meta
Digital Transformation: Migrating to Atlassian Cloud
Stability AI Co-Founder Says He Was Tricked Into Selling Stake For $100
Stability AI co-founder alleges company boss convinced him his stake in $1bn firm was 'essentially worthless'
Sony, Microsoft Agree To 10-Year Deal For Call Of Duty
Sony, Microsoft agree to 10-year deal keeping Call of Duty on PlayStation as FTC tries to block Activision Blizzard takeover
OpenAI Deal With AP Gives Access To News Archive
ChatGPT developer OpenAI reaches deal with Associated Press giving access to news archive back to 1985 amidst data controversy
Intel’s Gelsinger Concludes China Trip Amidst Tensions
Intel chief Pat Gelsinger concludes trip to China as company launches modified AI chip for local market amidst tightening export restrictions
CMA Extends Microsoft-Activision Review Deadline
UK competition regulator CMA extends review deadline for Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal by six weeks as deal gains traction in US
India Launches Chandrayaan-3 Lunar Landing Mission
India's ISRO launches Chandrayaan-3 mission to put lander and rover on Moon's south pole, following failed 2019 attempt
The Silicon UK In Focus Podcast: Smart Manufacturing and the Supply Chain
Learn what challenges or barriers may prevent the adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies in the supply chain. And how does the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies affect supply chain collaboration and partnership ...
FTC Launches Probe Into ChatGPT False Results
FTC demands data from OpenAI in firm's use of data and whether false information from ChatGPT can harm individuals' reputations
Twitter To Share Ad Revenues With Content Creators
Amid reports that Twitter traffic is tanking, Elon Musk platform offers content creators part of advertising revenue
Chinese Hackers Compromised Emails Of US Commerce Secretary
Fallout spreads from cyberattack by China-based hackers, as emails from head of US Commerce Department reportedly compromised
Twitter Owes Former Staff $500m, Lawsuit Claims
Lawsuit from Twitter's head of employee benefits alleges Elon Musk platform owes sacked staff $500m in severance payments
Understanding the New European Union AI Law
The European Parliament is preparing the world's first comprehensive law on AI. What will this pioneering regulation be like? What 'red lines' does it mark? And what benefits will it bring?
Silicon UK Pulse: Your Tech News Update: Episode 11
Welcome to Silicon UK Pulse – your roundup of the latest tech news and developments impacting your business for the week ending 14/07/2023.
Celsius Founder Alex Mashinsky Arrested, Charged
Alexander Mashinsky, founder and CEO of bankrupt Celsius Network has been arrested and charged by US authorities
Twitter Sues Four Texas Firms For Data Scraping
Lawsuit filed against four unnamed entities in Texas after Elon Musk railed last week against data scraping and limited user views
Microsoft Blow As FTC Files Activision Appeal
FTC files rare appeal against court ruling, allowing Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard to go ahead
FCA CEO Warns Of AI Disruption To Financial Services Sector
Head of financial regulator warns of threat posed by AI for online fraud and cyber risk, as UK seeks leadership for AI rules
PC Shipment Decline Slows In Q2, Says Gartner
Gartner PC shipment results mirror Canalys data, after finding a 16.6 percent shipment decline in the second quarter
The State of Wearable MedTech
As wearable MedTech continues to evolve rapidly, does there continue to be a business case to develop this technology, and how will organisations like the NHS embrace digital healthcare in the future?
Elon Musk Launches AI Startup xAI
AI startup known as xAI from Elon Musk seeks to challenge OpenAI's ChatGPT with a 'pro-humanity' alternative offering
China-Based Hackers Breached US Govt Email Accounts
White House and Microsoft confirm that China-based hackers have breached US government Exchange email accounts
Europe Gives Conditional Blessing To Broadcom’s $61bn VMware Deal
European Commission conditionally approves Broadcom's proposed acquisition of VMware, after concessions delivered in May
Online Safety Bill: Lords Demand Changes To Social Media Algorithms
House of Lords fails to object to encryption demands in Online Safety Bill, but rather harmful algorithms for social media
IBM Mulls Use Of AI Chip To Lower Watsonx Cloud Service Cost
In an effort to lower cost of Big Blue's new cloud AI and data platform watson.x, IBM considers use of in-house AI chip
Brand Voice
Keepler: “Generative AI adoption means ensuring the proper review of generated content before the delivery”
Trial Begins Of Samsung Executive Accused Of Stealing Chip Secrets
Trial begins in South Korea of former executive who allegedly attempted to use Samsung secrets in China chip plant deal
Nvidia In Talks To Be Anchor Investor In ARM – Report
GPU powerhouse reportedly in talks with British chip designer ARM, ahead of its September floatation in New York
Silicon Insights: The State of MarTech: Part 1
In the latest Silicon Insight interview we are considering the current state of MarTech and how this will evolve into the future with our special guest Michele Reale, Executive Media Director at twogether Creative.
Judge Declines FTC Injunction In Microsoft Activision Blizzard Purchase
Federal judge in San Francisco denies FTC preliminary injunction to halt Microsoft from acquiring Activision Blizzard by 18 July
PC Shipment Decline Slows In Q2, Says Canalys
Good news. Global PC market decline has eased as shipments drop 12 percent in Q2 2023, Canalys research finds
Anthropic Opens Rival AI Chatbot To Public
Challenge to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google Bard, after Anthropic debuts Claude 2 AI chatbot, and opens it to public
Amazon Challenges EU ‘Gatekeeper’ Designation
E-commerce giant Amazon pushes back against European listing it as an online gatekeeper, subjecting it to new laws
Microsoft Confirms More Job Losses
Software giant Microsoft confirms it is axing more staff, in addition to the 10,000 job losses announced in January
Foxconn Abandons Indian Chip Joint Venture, Seeks New Project
Blow to India? Taiwan's Foxconn abandons $19.5 billion chipmaking joint venture with Vedanta, but seeks local incentives for new project
Sir Jony Ive’s First Post Apple Hardware Product Is Record Player
Apple's former chief designer Sir Jony Ive designs a 50 year special edition turntable for vinyl records, and it is not cheap!
EU Agrees US Trans-Atlantic Data Sharing Deal
European Commission on Monday adopts its “adequacy decision for the EU-US Data Privacy Framework”, but legal challenge is threatened
Elon Musk Sues Law Firm Over Twitter Buyout Fees
Musk seeks recovery of $90m in fees law firm received from Twitter board for defeating Musk's attempt to walk away from acquisition
Instagram’s Threads Surpasses 100 Million Users
Worrying sign for Elon, as Zuckerberg's Threads app surpasses 100 million users in less than a week since launch
BT Chief Executive Philip Jansen To Step Down
BT Group chief executive Philip Jansen confirms he will step down within the next 12 months, as search begins for replacement
Samsung Warns Of 96 Percent Q2 Profit Plunge
Ongoing glut in chips sees Samsung warn that its second quarter profits are likely to plunge a staggering 96 percent
Bluesky Surpasses One Million Downloads
Jack Dorsey backed Twitter rival, Bluesky, surpasses one million global downloads, just four months since closed launch
Broadcom Signals $1 Billion Investment In Spain
CEO of American Broadcom manufacturer confirms $1 billion investment into EU program to develop chip industry in Spain
Twitter Threatens Lawsuit Over Threads App
Round two? Twitter threatens to sue Meta over Threads app, as Elon Musk says “competition is fine, cheating is not”
Printing the Future: The State of Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing has been rapidly evolving. Is this technology revolutionising manufacturing, or will it remain a specialist production technique?
Silicon UK Pulse: Your Tech News Update: Episode 10
Welcome to Silicon UK Pulse – your roundup of the latest tech news and developments impacting your business for the week ending 07/07/2023.
TikTok Seeks To Block Montana 1 January 2024 Ban
Chinese-owned app asks US judge to block enforcement of Montana's state ban on TikTok, before 1 January deadline
Meta’s Threads Surpasses 30 Million Signups
Should Elon worry? Twitter rival Threads gains instant traction, as app is downloaded by tens of millions, and signups surpass 30 million
NHTSA Squeezes Tesla For More Records In Autopilot Probe
US federal safety regulator demands updated records from Tesla, amid ongoing Autopilot safety investigation
China Releases Open Source Operating System
First home grown open source operating system released by China, amid escalating trade war with the US and the West
Canadian Government Halts Advertising On Facebook, Instagram
Federal government in Canada pulls its modest amount of advertising on Facebook, Instagram after Meta pulls news for Canadians
Meta Launches Twitter Rival Threads
Round One. Mark Zuckerberg's Meta launches direct challenge to Elon Musk's Twitter, with official launch of Threads
Apple Cuts Production For Vision Pro Headset – Report
Sizeable cut to production numbers of Apple's Vision Pro headsets, due to reported problems with its manufacturing
Judge Blocks Biden Officials Communicating With Social Media Firms
Win for US republicans, after federal judge restricts some Biden officials from meeting and communicating with social media companies
Apple Loses London Appeal Over Optis 4G Patent
Apple appeal dismissed in London Appeals courtroom, in its legal battle with Texas-based Optis Cellular Technology
Chinese Chip Material Export Retaliation ‘Just A Start’
Trade war escalation. Chinese trade policy advisor warns Beijing's export restrictions on gallium and germanium are “just a start”
Meta Set To Launch Twitter Rival This Week
With downloads for Jack Dorsey's Bluesky booming, Meta this week is expected to launch its Twitter rival, Instagram Threads
Toyota Claims Battery Breakthrough For EVs
Holy grail moment? Japanese car giant Toyota claims solid-state battery charges in ten minutes and has range of 745 miles
China Orders Export Restrictions On Chip Materials
China introduces restrictions on gallium and germanium, critical for chip and communications manufacturing, amidst worsening trade tensions
Microsoft ‘Faces New EU Antitrust Probe’
Microsoft reportedly facing new EU antitrust investigation over Teams integration into Office 365 after remedy talks fail
Samsung Sues Chinese Rival Over Display Patents
Samsung Display sues China's BOE over allegedly infringed OLED display patents as China encroaches on South Korean market share
Apple Takes App Store Appeal To US Supreme Court
Apple petitions US Supreme Court to reverse order forcing it to allow third-party payment systems in App Store software
US Firms Keep Low Profile At Shanghai AI Conference
US tech giants avoid top sponsorships at latest World Artificial Intelligence Conference amidst rising geopolitical tensions
BYD-Mercedes Joint Venture Launches Second EV
BYD-Mercedes EV joint venture Denza Automotive launches second vehicle as it aims to challenge likes of BMW and Audi
Tesla Stock Surges Following Record Deliveries
Tesla sees record sales in second quarter following price cuts in US, UK, China and elsewhere, as Chinese rivals also gain ground
Research Finds AMD AI Chip Rivals Nvidia Dominance
Tests by AI firm find AMD AI chip MI250 reaches 80 percent of performance of Nvidia A100 with path to equivalency amidst booming demand
Twitter Requires Sign-In To View Tweets
Twitter requires users to sign in or create an account to view tweets in what owner Elon Musk calls 'temporary' move to block data scrapers
Jailed S Korean Chip Executive Protests Innocence
Jailed former Samsung executive denies stealing chip industry secrets as South Korean prosecutors plan to begin trial later this month
Netherlands Blocks More Chip Equipment Sales To China
Netherlands introduces further chip equipment export restrictions ahead of expected tightening of US rules, as allies target China
Microsoft-Backed Chatbot Maker Inflection AI Raises $1.3bn
Nvidia, Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt in round that values Inflection at $4bn as year-old start-up seeks to outpace OpenAI
The Silicon UK In Focus Podcast: How Green is Industry 4.0?
Learn how industry 4.0 is paying close attention to its sustainability credentials. Discover the key factors that determine the environmental impact of Industry 4.0 technologies and practices.
Pokemon Go Developer Niantic Lays Off Quarter Of Workforce
Niantic, developer of popular AR game Pokemon Go, lays off quarter of workforce, cancels two games amidst post-pandemic revenue slowdown