Here is the top trending news from the world of technology. News that I feel every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
1)
Russia bans state officials from using Apple devices
Russia on Sunday announced that it is banning state officials from using all Apple devices including iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks. Russian government has reportedly issued this order due to the concern that the Apple devices could be used by Western intelligence agencies to spy on Russian officials. The ban applies to all government officials including those serving in the military, the security services, foreign embassies and Russian state- owned companies. Officials who are caught using Apple devices could face punitive action including immediate dismissal from the service. Following this rule, Russian officials may have to surrender their Apple devices.
2)
Tesla finally builds its first Cybertruck (after 2-year delay)
Last week Tesla announced that it has built its first-ever Cybertruck at its gigafactory in Texas. Tesla has been planning to build the Cybertruck since last two years but kept delaying due to technical and design problems. The company tweeted the photo of its first-ever Cybertruck on its official handle. Tesla is now aiming to start production in late 2023. Cybertruck has already attracted lot of attention because of its unique design. It is expected to be available in three models and the price of its basic model is likely to be capped at $39,900.
3)
UN Security Council to hold first official discussion on AI risks
The United Nations Security Council will hold its first-ever official discussion on risk associated with artificial intelligence on July 19th. This meeting will be chaired by British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly and primarily focus on the potential risks that AI technology could pose for global peace and security. The use of AI-powered weapons systems, the use of AI for disinformation and propaganda and cyberwarfare are some of the issues that are likely to take center-stage during this discussion. Last month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had called for creating international watchdog for regulating AI.
4)
AI-Generated “Good Ending” pics Of Elon Musk & Mark Zuckerberg goes viral
The AI-generated pics of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, created by a Twitter user who goes by the handle Sir Doge of the Coin, has gone viral on social media. The images show the two billionaires holding hands and hugging each other on a beach along with a caption that reads “The good ending.” Elon Musk himself reacted to these images with laughing emoji. These AI-generated pics have gone viral at a time when Zuckerberg’s launch of Threads has created huge tension between two billionaires. Threads, which directly competes with Elon Musk’s Twitter, has garnered 100 Mn users within five days of its launch.
5)
Musk Says Twitter cash flow still negative as ad revenue drops
Elon Musk claimed last week that Twitter’s cash flow continues to remain negative. Musk cited nearly 50% drop in advertising revenue and heavy debt as the primary reason for negative for Twitter negative cash flow. This will come as a major embarrassment for Musk who recently claimed that Twitter would be cash flow positive by June this year. This clearly hints that Musk is facing big challenges in turning around Twitter financially despite slew of cost-cutting measures taken by him since his take over last year.