Meridiano

Add Article

Articles tech

Showing articles 661 - 675 of 886 total (matching filters).

• 
  tech 6

  Anthropic deemed supply chain risk 'effective immediately': Pentagon

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 01:38)

  The Trump administration has officially designated AI company Anthropic as a supply chain risk, an unprecedented move against a domestic firm. This decision, based on national security concerns over potential misuse for surveillance or autonomous weapons, could force government contractors to stop using Anthropic's Claude chatbot.

  The action has drawn significant bipartisan criticism as a misuse of authority intended for foreign adversaries, with critics warning it sets a dangerous precedent and harms U.S. innovation. While major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin are cutting ties, Anthropic has seen a surge in consumer downloads as some public sentiment sides with the company.

  The main topics covered are the government's designation and its rationale, the reaction from contractors, and the bipartisan political and expert criticism of the decision.

• 
  tech 6

  Oracle layoffs planned as data centre costs surge: Bloomberg

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 01:45)

  Oracle is planning thousands of job cuts across many divisions, potentially starting this month, as it contends with significant financial pressure from a massive AI data center expansion. The company's aggressive push into cloud infrastructure, driven by major deals with clients like OpenAI, xAI, and Meta, requires enormous capital expenditure, leading to investor concern over cash burn and debt.

  To fund this expansion, Oracle plans to raise tens of billions of dollars this year, while also reviewing and freezing hiring in its cloud division. The layoffs are reported to be broader than usual and will target roles the company believes will be reduced by AI integration.

  The main topics covered are Oracle's planned layoffs, the financial strain from its AI data center build-out, major cloud deals driving the expansion, and related investor concerns over spending and debt.

• 
  tech 5

  Amazon down for thousands of users in US: Downdetector

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 02:29)

  Amazon's U.S. website experienced a significant outage on Thursday, beginning around 2:00 p.m. ET and generating over 21,700 user reports of issues with logging in, browsing, and checking out. The company acknowledged the problem and stated it was working on a resolution, though the cause remained unclear.

  Minor disruptions were also reported for Amazon's Prime Video and Amazon Web Services. Separately, the article notes that some of Amazon's data centers in the UAE and Bahrain were damaged by drone strikes earlier in the week, disrupting its cloud services.

  Main topics: Amazon website outage, user impact and reports, company response, related service disruptions, data center damage from drone strikes.

• 
  tech 6

  US mulls new rules for AI chip exports, including requiring US investments by foreign firms

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 02:35)

  U.S. officials are debating new export rules for AI chips, proposing that foreign nations may need to invest in U.S. AI data centers or provide security guarantees to receive shipments of 200,000 chips or more. This represents a significant shift from the previous Biden administration's approach, which largely exempted close allies, and aligns with Trump administration priorities to leverage chip exports for domestic investment.

  The proposed framework would impose licensing requirements even for smaller installations and could involve U.S. monitoring of the chips to prevent them from being clustered into powerful supercomputers. While aimed at preventing chip diversion to adversaries like China, critics argue the broad, global application of the rules appears designed more for negotiating leverage with allies than purely for security.

  The main topics covered are: proposed U.S. regulations on AI chip exports, the shift in policy between administrations, potential conditions for foreign buyers, and the debate over using export controls for security versus economic leverage.

• 
  tech 5

  China’s BYD looks to make electric vehicle charging as fast as filling up with petrol

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-06 03:15)

  Chinese EV maker BYD has unveiled its new Blade Battery 2.0, which it claims is the world's fastest-charging mass-produced battery. The battery can charge from 10% to 70% in five minutes and performs well even in extreme cold weather.

  The company's chairman stated that ultra-fast charging is the solution to range anxiety, aiming to replicate the convenience of refueling a petrol car. To support this, BYD plans to build a network of 20,000 high-power "flash charging" stations across China by the end of this year.

  The main topics covered are BYD's new fast-charging battery technology, the strategy to alleviate EV range anxiety, and the planned expansion of ultra-fast charging infrastructure.

• 
  tech 5

  Anthropic to challenge Pentagon's ‘supply chain risk’ label

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 03:25)

  Anthropic, led by Dario Amodei, is legally challenging a formal designation by the US Department of War that labels the company a national security supply chain risk. Anthropic argues the designation is not legally sound and asserts the relevant statute is narrow, intended to protect the government, not punish suppliers.

  The company emphasizes its ongoing cooperation with the Department, including providing AI tools for military operations in West Asia, and states its only policy exceptions are for fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance. Anthropic's priority is to ensure a smooth transition so national security operations are not deprived of its AI tools during ongoing conflicts.

  Main topics covered: Anthropic's legal challenge against the Department of War's supply chain risk designation, the company's ongoing military partnerships and exceptions, and the use of its AI in current US operations.

• 
  tech 6

  SoftBank seeks up to $40 billion loan to finance OpenAI investment

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 04:25)

  SoftBank is seeking a loan of up to $40 billion, primarily to finance its $30 billion investment in OpenAI. This would be its largest-ever dollar-denominated borrowing, with JPMorgan Chase among the banks underwriting the facility.

  The massive investment underscores SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son's aggressive strategy to position the company at the center of the AI boom. This has involved selling other assets, like its Nvidia stake, to fund over $70 billion in AI investments.

  However, the scale of the bet has raised concerns about SoftBank's liquidity and credit quality, leading S&P to lower its credit outlook. The company's financial health is now closely tied to OpenAI's performance amidst an uncertain market for AI services.

  Main Topics: SoftBank's $40 billion loan pursuit, its massive investment in OpenAI, the strategic shift to dominate AI, and the resulting financial risks and credit concerns.

• 
  tech 5

  Karnataka bans social media for children under 16

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 06:34)

  The southern Indian state of Karnataka has announced a ban on social media usage for children under the age of 16. The policy, declared by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, aims to prevent the adverse effects of increasing mobile phone usage on children. Karnataka is the first state in India to implement such a ban.

  The main topics covered are the new social media age restriction, the government's stated objective of protecting children from mobile phone-related harms, and the policy's status as a first-of-its-kind measure in India.

• 
  tech 6

  OpenAI launches GPT‑5.4 Thinking and Pro, its ‘most factual and efficient’ model yet

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 07:06)

  OpenAI has launched GPT-5.4 Thinking and GPT-5.4 Pro, its latest AI models, which are promoted as more factual, efficient, and faster than predecessors, using fewer tokens. Key features include a 1-million-token context window, improved performance on computer-use tasks, and a 33% reduction in factual errors.

  The models introduce new steerability, allowing users to interrupt and redirect responses mid-generation, and offer better retention over long conversations. They are being rolled out gradually across ChatGPT and the API, with pricing details provided.

  Main topics covered: The announcement and key features of GPT-5.4, its improved efficiency and performance, new user interaction capabilities like mid-response steering, rollout availability and pricing, and enhanced safety evaluations.

• 
  tech 6

  The War on Iran Puts Global Chip Supplies and AI Expansion at Risk

  (Business Latest / 2026-03-06 09:00)

  South Korean officials warn that a US-Israel conflict with Iran threatens the global semiconductor supply chain by potentially disrupting critical materials from the Middle East. A key vulnerability is helium, with 38% sourced from Qatar, where production has been affected, though major chipmakers report sufficient inventories for now.

  The industry also faces risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which could delay material deliveries and raise energy prices, increasing production costs. These pressures come amid already high demand for chips from the AI sector.

  While the immediate impact is limited, a prolonged regional conflict could gradually strain material supplies, increase costs, and potentially delay the expansion of AI infrastructure in the Middle East by major tech firms.

  Main Topics: Global semiconductor supply chain risks, Middle East conflict impact, helium supply vulnerability, shipping route disruptions, energy price effects, AI industry demand.

• 
  tech 4

  Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei apologises for memo after ‘disorienting’ crisis

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 09:02)

  Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei apologized for an internal memo he wrote, calling the period it described one of the most "disorienting" in the company's history. The memo stated Anthropic's relationship with the U.S. government deteriorated because it refused to offer strong praise for President Trump, unlike competitors like OpenAI.

  Amodei detailed a crisis where, within hours, the President moved to ban Anthropic from federal contracts and the Secretary of War designated it a supply-chain risk, while a competitor signed a deal with the Department of War. He clarified the memo was an informal internal post, not a refined statement, but apologized for its tone and sharing.

  The main topics covered are Amodei's apology, the described crisis with the U.S. government, the contrasting actions of a competitor (OpenAI), and the nature of the internal memo.

• 
  tech 5

  Sleep Apnea Often Goes Undetected in Women. That’s Starting to Change

  (Science Latest / 2026-03-06 09:30)

  Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a complex and often undiagnosed condition in women, particularly during perimenopause and menopause. New projections estimate a significant rise in OSA cases by 2050, with a much larger relative increase among women than men.

  The main topics covered are the rising prevalence of OSA in women, the biological mechanisms (like hormonal changes during menopause) that increase risk, and the diagnostic challenges due to symptom overlap with menopause and screening tools developed for men.

  Research indicates that declining estrogen and progesterone after menopause reduce protective effects on the airway and breathing, increasing vulnerability. This leads to symptoms like fatigue and night sweats that are often mistaken for typical menopause, causing the condition to be overlooked.

• 
  tech 6

  Indonesia to restrict social media access for children under 16

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-06 09:59)

  Indonesia is implementing a restriction on social media access for children under 16, citing risks like addiction, cyberbullying, and online fraud. The policy will gradually deactivate accounts on platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Roblox starting March 28.

  This move aligns with a global trend, as countries like Australia, Spain, and Malaysia have also announced or enacted similar age-based social media bans. The Indonesian government acknowledges initial public discomfort but emphasizes child safety as the priority.

  The specific details and enforcement mechanisms of the new ministerial regulation are not yet fully public. The affected tech companies had not provided immediate comment on the announcement.

  Main topics: Indonesia's social media age restriction, the global trend of similar bans, the cited reasons (child safety/mental health), and the planned implementation.

• 
  tech 5

  Jack Dorsey Is Ready to Explain the Block Layoffs

  (Business Latest / 2026-03-06 10:00)

  Jack Dorsey's company, Block, laid off nearly half its workforce, citing the need to restructure proactively around AI tools to become a slimmer, more nimble entity. Dorsey defended the move, stating it was not a correction for overhiring but a strategic shift based on future technological trends, and that the severance packages were generous.

  He addressed employee discontent by emphasizing his intention to act from a position of strength and love, though he acknowledged the difficulty of conducting compassionate layoffs. Dorsey also reflected on his past, including his exile from Twitter in 2009 and his subsequent return and sale of the company, while highlighting his unconventional, forward-looking management style.

  The main topics covered are the reasons for Block's mass layoffs, Dorsey's management philosophy and history, and the broader implications of AI on corporate structure and employment.

• 
  tech 5

  China to pursue commercial health insurance to ease public strain, support drug innovation

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-06 10:12)

  China is promoting commercial health insurance to alleviate financial strain on its public healthcare system, as an aging population and rising medical costs challenge the sustainability of basic coverage.

  The annual surplus of the basic medical insurance fund has been declining, indicating the state's difficulty in bearing the burden alone through public insurance.

  While basic insurance covers over 95% of the population, there is growing demand, especially among middle and high-income groups, for treatments and services beyond what the public system provides.

  Main topics: China's healthcare policy, commercial health insurance, financial strain on public medical insurance, aging population, rising medical costs, and coverage gaps.