This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A US court filing earlier this year alleged that Meta mined online library 'LibGen' to train its AI models. Around 100 authors on Thursday protested outside the London headquarters of Meta, accusing the US tech giant of "stealing" content to train its Artificial Intelligence models. Writers chanted "Meta, Meta, book thieves" a ...

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Apple Inc. is finding itself squarely in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's new tariffs, even after a years-long effort to insulate the iPhone maker from trade wars and supply chain disruptions. A long list of levies unveiled by the White House are poised to hit the company especially ...

Group 1 - Amazon has made a last-minute bid to acquire TikTok, which is facing a potential ban in the US if not sold by its Chinese owner, ByteDance [1][2] - The bid was communicated in a letter to officials involved in the sale discussions, aimed at addressing US national security concerns [1] - President Trump has expressed confidence in finding a buyer for TikTok's US operations by the upcoming deadline, despite downplaying the risks of a ban [2][5] Group 2 - The most likely resolution involves existing US investors in ByteDance rolling over their stakes into a new independent global TikTok company, with additional US investors like Oracle and Blackstone joining to reduce Chinese ownership [3] - TikTok has over 170 million users in the US and is under threat from a law requiring it to separate from ByteDance or face a ban [4] - The deadline for TikTok to be sold is set for April 5, 2025, with potential extensions from President Trump if a deal is not finalized [5][6] Group 3 - Trump's administration may offer to reduce tariffs on China to facilitate Beijing's approval for the sale of TikTok [6] - Trump has shifted from supporting a ban to defending TikTok, recognizing its popularity among younger voters [7] - Other bidders for TikTok include Frank McCourt's Project Liberty initiative, AI startup Perplexity, and internet personality MrBeast [7]

Core Insights - Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking its evolution from a small computer company to one of the world's most powerful corporations, with a net profit of $88 billion from sales of $245 billion in 2024 and a market value close to $3,000 billion [1][2] Group 1: Historical Development - Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque, New Mexico, initially focusing on programming languages [2] - The first significant era involved a partnership with IBM, where Microsoft provided the operating system MS-DOS, leading to substantial profits and market presence [3][5][7] - The second era was characterized by the launch of Windows, which transformed user experience with a graphical interface, culminating in Windows 95, which held over 70% market share in operating systems [9][10] Group 2: Challenges and Internal Conflicts - The mid-1990s brought challenges as Microsoft struggled to adapt to the internet era, leading to legal issues and competition from new browsers like Google Chrome [12] - Under CEO Steve Ballmer, Microsoft attempted diversification into various sectors, with mixed results; successful ventures included Azure and Xbox, while failures included Windows Phone and Zune [13][14] - Internal conflicts and bureaucratization hindered innovation, leading to criticism of products like Internet Explorer 6 and Windows Vista [15][16] Group 3: Recent Developments and Future Outlook - In 2014, Satya Nadella took over as CEO, shifting the focus to cloud services, with Azure becoming the second-largest cloud service provider by 2024, contributing over 56% of Microsoft's revenue [17] - Significant acquisitions included LinkedIn for $26.2 billion and GitHub for $7.5 billion, alongside a $14 billion investment in OpenAI, positioning Microsoft favorably in the AI sector [18] - Microsoft's evolution reflects a series of strategic moves and adaptations, raising questions about its future sustainability and relevance in the tech landscape [19]

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The Meta logo is seen at the Vivatech show in Paris, France, on June 14, 2023. Credit: AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File The head of Meta's artificial intelligence research division said she plans to step down, vacating a high-profile position at a time of intense competition in the development of AI technology. Joelle Pineau, Met ...

Core Perspective - Microsoft, under the leadership of Brad Smith, aims to transform the Cascadia region through initiatives like the Cascadia Innovation Corridor, focusing on economic growth and connectivity between cities such as Vancouver, Seattle, and Portland [3][4][8]. Group 1: Leadership and Vision - Brad Smith, as Microsoft's president and vice chair, has shifted the company's focus from competition to collaboration, seeking to improve relationships with competitors and regulatory bodies [2][24]. - Smith's vision for Microsoft includes a commitment to community engagement and economic development in the Pacific Northwest, which he refers to as "Tomorrowland" [3][27]. Group 2: Cascadia Innovation Corridor - The Cascadia Innovation Corridor is an initiative aimed at enhancing economic collaboration across the region, co-chaired by notable figures including former Washington Governor Christine Gregoire [4]. - The initiative envisions a future with affordable housing, collaborative scientific research, and high-speed rail connectivity by 2035 [8][9]. Group 3: Infrastructure and Funding - The federal government has provided funding for the planning of high-speed rail in Washington, with a $49.7 million grant awarded to advance the Cascadia High-Speed Rail program [10]. - Microsoft has invested over $750 million into an affordable housing fund to create or preserve more than 9,200 housing units in the Puget Sound region, addressing housing issues exacerbated by tech job growth [11]. Group 4: Economic Impact of Tech Industry - The tech sector in Washington accounts for 9.4% of the workforce and contributes over 22% to the state's economic output, highlighting its significance to the local economy [13][14]. - The rapid growth of tech jobs in the Vancouver area has outpaced other large North American cities since 2017, with Microsoft playing a crucial role in developing local talent [16]. Group 5: Taxation and Business Environment - Smith opposes new tax proposals targeting tech companies, arguing that they could undermine the state's economic foundation and discourage business growth [17][18]. - Washington's tax structure is considered regressive, with a reliance on flat taxes that do not differentiate between various types of businesses and individuals [19]. Group 6: Community Engagement and Education - Microsoft has established public-private partnerships and philanthropic initiatives to support education and fill the tech worker pipeline, expanding its focus from basic digital literacy to artificial intelligence training [21]. - Smith emphasizes the importance of balancing economic interests with community responsibilities, advocating for a collaborative approach between businesses and local governments [22].

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Meta Platforms Inc., ramping up work on a deluxe version of its popular smart glasses, plans to include hand-gesture controls and a screen for displaying photos and apps. The company intends to introduce its first glasses with a screen as early as the end of this year—a product it sees as a ke ...

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Companies developing AI models, such as OpenAI and Meta, train their systems on enormous datasets. These consist of text from newspapers, books (often sourced from unauthorized repositories), academic publications and various internet sources. The material includes works that are copyrighted. ...

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Scott Oki joined Microsoft as employee no. 121. The company was small; Gates was hands-on, and hard to please. "One of his favorite phrases was 'that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard,'" Oki says. "He didn't use that on me, so I feel pretty good about that." Another, kinder phrase that pops to Oki's mind when discussing the i ...

Core Points - The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned 23andMe to protect users' personal information amid its bankruptcy proceedings [1][3] - 23andMe, which offers genetic testing services, filed for bankruptcy and is seeking a buyer after experiencing a significant data breach [2][5] - The FTC emphasized that any sale or transfer of personal information during bankruptcy must adhere to the company's privacy commitments [3][4] Company Overview - 23andMe, a Silicon Valley-based company, went public in 2021 and claims to have 15 million customers [5] - The company has faced declining sales as interest in genetic testing waned and suffered a data breach affecting 6.9 million accounts [5][7] - In response to financial difficulties, 23andMe laid off 40% of its workforce, approximately 200 employees, and suspended research programs [5] Data Breach Details - The data breach compromised sensitive information, including names, sex, birth year, location, photos, health information, and genetic ancestry results [7] - 23andMe has agreed to pay around $37.5 million to settle claims related to the 2023 data breach [5]