Category Technology

BBC News

Australia’s science minister, Ed Husic, raises privacy concerns about Chinese chatbot DeepSeek, sparking turmoil in tech industry. Donald Trump calls it a “wake up call” for the US, but Husic warns of data and privacy risks. DeepSeek sees 3 million downloads in the UK and US, outpacing rivals like Perplexity. Concerns remain over potential links to Chinese state and data harvesting.

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Bloomberg (YouTube)

Global tech selloff triggered by Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, offering cost-effective AI models compared to top AI chatbots. Caroline Hyde covers the impact and implications.

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MIT Technology Review

DeepSeek’s innovative AI model, R1, developed under constraints from US export controls on chips, showcases efficiency and collaboration. The model, praised for its reasoning abilities in mathematics and coding, uses a unique “chain of thought” approach. Researchers are impressed by its engineering simplicity, highlighting the potential for startups like DeepSeek to thrive despite limitations.

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The Verge

Sony is discontinuing production of recordable Blu-rays, MiniDiscs, MD-Data, and MiniDV cassettes in February with no successor models. This decision does not affect pre-recorded Blu-rays. Sony had hinted at this move last year. The company has been a leader in Blu-ray technology since its inception. Other companies like LG, Samsung, and Oppo are also moving away from Blu-ray production. The announcement also impacts Sony’s MiniDisc format introduced in 1992.

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ABC NEWS

President Trump, along with CEOs of OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, unveiled a $500 billion private sector investment for artificial intelligence infrastructure. The joint venture, named Stargate, aims to advance AI technology.

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CNN (YouTube)

TikTok faces ban in the US as creators and users come to terms with the impending restriction. TikTok is planning to shutdown the app in the US on Sunday.

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BusinessTech

Amazon and Microsoft are hiring for their South African operations, with Amazon offering 93 full-time positions and Microsoft listing seven. Roles include software development, operations, support engineering, product management, customer service, marketing, and construction. Both companies have been in the country for some time, with Microsoft opening offices in Johannesburg in 1993. Amazon’s South African marketplace launched in May 2024, while its AWS business has been operating there for years.

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the Guardian

Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, enters new conservative phase post-Nick Clegg’s exit. Zuckerberg disbands US fact-checking, opts for user notes over professional fact-checkers. Content moderation teams move from California to Texas to address bias concerns. Actions seen as efforts to win Donald Trump’s approval and manipulate truth for personal gain.

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SABC

Great white sharks in South Africa are relocating from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape due to orca attacks targeting their livers. Data shows a tenfold increase in shark catches in the Eastern Cape since 2013. Orcas are focusing on the livers for their nutrient content. Conservationists stress the importance of great white sharks in maintaining ecological balance. Ongoing research will explore the impact on both species and the marine environment.

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SABC

The awarding of Nobel prizes in chemistry and physics to Google-affiliated AI pioneers has sparked debate over research dominance and recognition in computer science. Google faces competition from Microsoft-backed OpenAI and regulatory scrutiny. Critics question the physics Nobel for AI breakthroughs, suggesting a need for a Nobel in mathematics or computer science. Concerns over Big Tech’s influence on AI research and the need for greater public investment are raised.

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