Technology

California county sues Meta over scam ads

May 11 (Reuters) - California's Santa Clara ⁠County has sued Meta Platforms, alleging it has profited from Facebook and Instagram ads promoting scams in violation ⁠of California's false advertising and unfair business practices laws.

Technology

SoftBank's Son considers up to $100 billion investment in France, Bloomberg News reports

May 11 (Reuters) - SoftBank ⁠Group Corp founder Masayoshi Son is considering an ⁠investment of up to $100 billion in France, including ‌a multibillion-dollar project to build AI infrastructure in the European nation, Bloomberg News reported on Monday.

Technology

OpenAI creates new unit with $4 billion investment to aid corporate AI push

May 11 (Reuters) - OpenAI said ⁠on Monday it is setting up a new company with more ⁠than $4 billion in initial investment to help organizations build and ‌deploy artificial intelligence systems, and will acquire an AI consulting firm, Tomoro, to quickly scale up the unit.

Technology

Shein accuses Temu of 'industrial scale' copyright breaches in UK legal battle

LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) - Online fast-fashion ⁠platform Shein accused Temu of copyright infringement "on an industrial scale", while Temu ⁠countered that Shein is using litigation to stifle competition, as a ‌trial opened at London's High Court on Monday.

Technology

Alphabet, Amazon tap overseas debt markets to fund AI infrastructure push

TOKYO, May 11 (Reuters) - Big tech's borrowing ⁠spree to fund AI intensified on Monday as Alphabet disclosed plans for its ⁠first yen-denominated bond sale and Amazon prepared its debut Swiss franc offering.

Technology

EU Commission in talks with OpenAI and Anthropic over AI models

BRUSSELS, May ⁠11 (Reuters) - The European Commission is ⁠in ongoing discussions with ‌U.S. artificial intelligence giants OpenAI and Anthropic, a spokesperson said on Monday.

Technology

Circle sees revenue boost as stablecoin demand rises amid volatility; shares up

May 11 (Reuters) - Circle on Monday ⁠reported higher quarterly revenue and reserve income driven by increased adoption ⁠and circulation of its stablecoin, sending its shares rising nearly 5% in ‌trading before the bell.

Technology

AI labs should pass safety review to get US government contracts, group says

May 11 (Reuters) - ⁠The Trump administration should screen cutting-edge artificial intelligence ⁠models for security threats before they are publicly ‌released and withhold lucrative government contracts from those that fail review, an advocacy group told U.S. officials on Monday.

Technology

Disneyland rolls out facial recognition at US park's entrances

Retailers use facial recognition technology to more easily nab shoplifters. Casinos have deployed it to keep card counters away. Even a popular New York City venue allegedly uses it to blackball people its millionaire owner considers adversaries.

AI

US prepares AI security order that omits mandatory model tests

The Trump administration is preparing to order US agencies to partner with artificial intelligence companies to protect networks from AI-enabled cyber attacks, though the directive would stop short of requiring government approval for cutting-edge models, according to people familiar with the matter.

Technology

Google settles racial discrimination lawsuit for US$50mil

Google has settled with Black employees who alleged systemic racial disparities in hiring, pay, and advancement in a lawsuit filed in 2022.

Social media

Who are you getting your health advice from?

Half of US adults under 50 now get wellness advice from influencers. A new report examines their qualifications.

AI

All those AI notetakers? They’re making lawyers very nervous.

A trendy productivity hack, AI note takers are capturing every joke and offhand comment in many meetings. They could also potentially waive attorney-client privilege.

Video games

Finding Nintendo adventures after 'Super Mario Galaxy Movie' ends

The pull of Nintendo is strong, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has defied the critics, racking up more than US$600mil (RM2.3bil) globally in two weeks. It's one of the biggest hits of the year, but after the credits roll, the adventure doesn't have to stop.

AI

Can ChatGPT be charged in a murder? Florida wants to find out

According to evidence gathered by Florida's attorney general, the student had asked ChatGPT which weapon and ammunition would be best suited for his attack, and when and where he could inflict the most casualties.

Technology

Microsoft boss to testify on his role in OpenAI's founding

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is expected to take the stand Monday in Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI, to explain emails that revealed how his company funded the ChatGPT creator's shift from philanthropic organisation to for-profit AI giant.

Social media

Health advice is all over social media. Here's how to vet claims

Health and wellness advice is available in abundance on social media – from trendy to informative to straight-up disinformation – and you're far from alone in seeing it.

AI

Fervent and fake: High-glam AI avatars boost Trump ahead of midterms

The rise of hyper-realistic AI avatars – parroting Trump's political slogans such as "America First" and echoing his talking points on issues such as immigration – underscores the use of new technology in efforts to energise his Make America Great Again (MAGA) conservative base.

Technology

Nintendo shares slump as price hikes, games shortfall spook market

TOKYO, May 11 (Reuters) - Nintendo's ⁠shares fell 7% in Tokyo on Monday after the company hiked Switch 2 prices and as ⁠the market frets over a lack of high-profile games to build momentum.

Internet

Iran businesses buckle under strain of record Internet shutdown

Iran's record Internet blackout is taking a heavy toll on private businesses, with owners and industry officials warning that it could lead to mass layoffs and closures.