Here is the top trending news from the world of technology. News that every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
1)
Rip Twitter: Twitter is officially X.com
Last week, Twitter finally completed its domain transition. This means henceforth if you type twitter.com on your browser the website will redirect to new domain X.com. However, Elon Musk’s vision for X.com goes beyond just a name change. It signifies a shift towards a more versatile platform, potentially an “everything app” like WeChat. This aligns with Musk’s ambitions for X to encompass features like messaging, payments, and commerce. The new name ‘X’ also helps the microblogging platform to break free from the past baggage of Twitter, which had become synonymous with trolling, fake users and controversies surrounding content moderation policies. Overall, completion of domain transition marks the beginning of a new era for the popular microblogging platform.
2)
Apple is planning to launch ‘significantly thinner’ iPhone
According to unconfirmed reports, Apple is currently working to develop a much thinner iPhone, which is likely to be launched in 2025 alongside the iPhone 17 lineup. The key aspect of this thin iPhone is likely to be significant reduction in thickness compared to current iPhones. This could be similar to the design shift seen with the latest iPad Pro. There is a speculation that this thinner iPhone might replace the Plus model in the iPhone 17 series. Leaks further suggest the phone might retain a large screen (around 6.6 inches) and come with an aluminum frame. The processor is expected to be Apple’s next-generation A19 chip. Additionally, the design might incorporate a smaller front camera cutout, possibly a pill-shaped punch-hole replacing the wider notch of current iPhones.
3)
Elon Musk’s Starlink debuts in Indonesia
Aiming to healthcare make more accessible, Elon Musk’s satellite internet company Starlink has officially debuted its service in the Indonesian market last week. The official launch ceremony took place at a public health clinic in Denpasar, Bali, where Musk himself was present. The initial rollout focused on three health clinics, including one on a remote island, showcasing Starlink’s ability to bridge the digital divide. The Indonesian government is likely to prioritize Starlink for public services initially before expanding commercial availability. Overall, this launch represents a significant step in bringing Starlink’s internet connectivity to Southeast Asia.
4)
OpenAI’s former employee raises red flag over safety concerns
Jan Leike, a former leader of OpenAI’s superalignment team, publicly criticized the company on an online platform, for compromising on safety concerns. Leike’s central claim is that OpenAI has prioritized the development of “shiny products” over prioritizing safety culture and processes. His criticism suggests he believes OpenAI is not dedicating enough resources to ensure the safety and responsible development of their AI models. This could include concerns about potential bias, misuse, or unforeseen consequences of powerful AI systems. Overall, Leike’s revelation raises concerns over OpenAI’s commitment to AI safety. The responsible development of artificial intelligence has become a hot debate with many countries passing legislations to promote AI safety.
5)
Slack accused of using customer data to train its AI models
In a unpleasant surprise for Slack customers, it has come to light that Slack has been using their customer’s chat data to train its AI and machine learning models. Slack has admitted that it uses data like messages, content, and files from your workspace, but according to the company, it’s anonymized and doesn’t include the specific content of private messages or public channels. Slack emphasized that it uses industry standard privacy-protecting techniques and don’t aim to identify individual users. However, the contentious part of this entire saga is that users weren’t explicitly asked for permission before their data was used for training. What’s even more controversial, customers wishing to opt out can’t do it by making changes in the setting. They have to contact workspace administrator.