Apple has just appointed a new AI chief with expertise from Google and Microsoft following the resignation of John Gianandrea.
In a carefully worded announcement, Apple said Monday that John Gianandrea, who has served as the company’s head of AI since 2018, is “resigning” to no longer work at Apple. He plans to remain as an advisor until the spring. He will be replaced by Amar Subramanya, a highly regarded Microsoft executive who spent 16 […]
One of the biggest benefits of Google’s AI is what it already knows about you
A Google Search executive said one of the company’s biggest opportunities in AI lies in its ability to know users better and personalize their responses. AI promises to be uniquely helpful because it knows you. But the risk is that AI feels more like surveillance than a service. On a recent episode of the Limitless […]
Zillow lowers climate risk score after distributors complain of decreased sales
Sorry to all those planning to buy a home. Just over a year after adding climate risk scores, Zillow removed the scores from more than 1 million listings after real estate agents complained that the information was causing a decline in sales. Zillow first added data to its site in September 2024, saying more than […]
MKBHD wallpaper app Panels has ended
Technology YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) announced on Monday that he is shutting down his mobile phone wallpaper app Panels. Given Brownlee’s more than 20 million followers on YouTube and his reputation as an insightful technology critic, fans had high hopes for Brownlee’s foray into app development. His influence has been so great that some have […]
Construction workers are cashing in on the AI boom
The AI boom is proving to be a windfall for construction workers building the massive data centers that power everything. According to the Wall Street Journal, data center construction workers are seeing pay increases of 25% to 30% compared to their previous jobs, and in some cases, much more. Among them is Demond Chambliss, who […]
Data center energy demand predicted to jump nearly 300% by 2035
Planned data center construction shows no signs of slowing down, with new additions requiring 2.7 times (almost three times) the sector’s current electricity demand over the next 10 years, according to a new report from BloombergNEF. By 2035, data centers will consume 106 gigawatts of power, a significant increase from the 40 gigawatts used today. […]
Europol shuts down crypto-mixing website that helped launder 1.3 billion euros
A coalition of law enforcement agencies coordinated by Europol announced on Monday the closure of cryptocurrency laundering service Cryptomixer. Europol confirmed the seizure in a press release, stating that Cryptomixer is “the platform of choice for cybercriminals seeking to launder illegal proceeds from a variety of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, arms trafficking, ransomware attacks, […]
Nvidia’s $2 billion Synopsys bet strengthens its grip on chip design stack
Nvidia is investing $2 billion in Synopsys, which makes software and components for semiconductor chip design. The deal deepens the companies’ existing partnership as analysts begin to scrutinize the increasingly common circular trades in the AI industry and warn of potential bubbles. Nvidia announced that it has purchased Synopsys stock for $414.79 per share as […]
Amazon’s AI chatbot Rufus boosts Black Friday sales
Amazon’s AI chatbot Rufus saw a spike in adoption on Black Friday, according to new data released over the weekend by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. In the US, Amazon sessions that led to purchases jumped 100% on Black Friday compared to the following 30 days, but sessions that led to purchases that did not […]
How AI PR startup Clipbook landed Mark Cuban’s investment via cold email
On Monday, Clipbook, an AI-powered platform that helps companies monitor media coverage, announced a $3 million seed round co-led by Mark Cuban, Commonweal Ventures, and Carpenter Capital. The partnership came about because Clipbook founder Adam Joseph made a fiasco with a cold email that he didn’t expect anyone to read, he told TechCrunch. Joseph launched […]