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Showing articles 286 - 300 of 667 total (matching filters).

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  tech 6

  What It’s Like to Have a Brain Implant for 5 Years

  (Science Latest / 2026-03-04 10:00)

  Rodney Gorham has successfully used a Synchron brain-computer interface implant for five years, a milestone for the company. The implant, called the Stentrode, allows him to control digital devices with his thoughts, providing critical assistance as he lives with ALS.

  Synchron is preparing for a larger pivotal trial needed for regulatory approval, working with the FDA to define clinical endpoints. The technology relies on decoding algorithms to translate neural signals into actions, with Gorham's long-term feedback being instrumental in its development.

  The main topics covered are: the milestone of long-term BCI use, the technical function of Synchron's Stentrode implant, the path to regulatory approval, and the role of user feedback in evolving the technology's capabilities.

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  tech 5

  Lux Capital warns portfolio startups to brace for market risks

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 09:54)

  Venture capital firm Lux Capital has warned its portfolio startups to prepare for potential economic challenges, citing concerning signals like falling bond yields alongside high stock markets. The firm advised founders to extend their cash runway, review debt covenants, and closely analyze costs, especially for companies affected by tariffs.

  Lux Capital co-founder Josh Wolfe also expressed concern about an AI bubble, stating that fewer than ten AI startups truly matter, and suggested companies should go public while market enthusiasm is high. Despite these warnings, Wolfe remains broadly optimistic about startup investing, emphasizing that difficult times can still produce major successes, but urged founders to rigorously stress-test their assumptions.

  The main topics covered are: a venture capital firm's economic warning and advice to startups, concerns about an AI investment bubble, and the paradoxical optimism about long-term startup investment despite near-term risks.

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  tech 6

  ETtech Explainer: Anthropic’s rapid rise, Pentagon standoff and everything in between

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 09:41)

  Anthropic has experienced extremely rapid revenue growth, surpassing a $19 billion annual run rate and reaching a $380 billion valuation, driven by strong adoption of its AI products like Claude Code. Its consumer popularity surged significantly, with Claude overtaking rivals in daily website visits and topping the US Apple App Store rankings, a rise that coincided publicly with a dispute with the U.S. government.

  The company clashed with the Pentagon after demanding safeguards against the use of its AI for domestic surveillance or autonomous weapons, leading President Trump to halt federal use of its products and the Defense Secretary to label it a "supply-chain risk." Anthropic's CEO denounced the move as retaliatory and vowed to challenge it in court.

  Anthropic's announcements and product launches have repeatedly impacted financial markets, causing sell-offs in Indian IT stocks and a major drop in IBM's share price due to perceived competitive threats. The company's market capitalization now exceeds the combined value of India's top listed IT firms.

  Main topics: Anthropic's financial growth and market valuation; surge in consumer adoption and rankings; dispute with the U.S. Pentagon and government; impact on global stock markets and competitors.

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  tech 5

  China biotech outlicensing tops US$52 billion in first 2 months after global deal surge

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-04 09:30)

  China's biotech sector saw outlicensing deals exceed $52 billion in total value in the first two months of 2024, surpassing any single quarter from the previous year.

  This surge is exemplified by two major deals: Sino Biopharmaceutical's partnership with France's Sanofi and Antengene's agreement with Belgium's UCB, valued at up to $1.53 billion and $1.18 billion respectively.

  The trend indicates China is becoming a key global source for innovative drug candidates, with multinational firms seeking long-term strategic partnerships over one-off transactions.

  The main topics covered are the financial scale of China's biotech outlicensing, specific high-value deals with Western pharmaceutical companies, and the strategic shift towards sustained international partnerships.

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  tech 6

  Asian tech stocks reel as US-Iran war threatens infrastructure and supply chains

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-04 09:04)

  Asian tech stocks fell sharply due to market fears that the US-Iran conflict could disrupt technology infrastructure and supply chains. South Korea's Kospi index and major chipmakers like Samsung and SK Hynix were among the worst hit, while Japanese stocks also saw significant declines.

  Hong Kong and Chinese tech stocks experienced smaller losses, attributed to their lower exposure to potential energy and shipping disruptions stemming from the Middle East turmoil. Analysts note the sell-off reflects a broad repricing of risk across energy and supply chains, particularly in markets with large AI industry exposure.

  The main topics covered are the decline in Asian tech stock indices, the varying impact across different Asian markets, and the cause being attributed to geopolitical risks from the US-Iran conflict threatening supply chains.

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  tech 5

  Should you ask an AI chatbot about your health? 5 things to know before you start sharing

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-04 07:15)

  AI chatbots like ChatGPT Health are increasingly being designed to answer health questions by analyzing medical records and wearable data. However, tech companies explicitly state these tools are not substitutes for professional medical care and should not be used for diagnosis.

  Their intended role is to support users by summarizing complex test results, helping prepare for doctor appointments, and identifying health trends from personal data.

  The main topics covered are the rise of health-specific AI chatbots, their limitations as non-diagnostic tools, and their recommended supportive functions in healthcare.

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  tech 5

  Walmart-backed PhonePe targets up to $10.5 billion valuation in India IPO

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 06:44)

  PhonePe, a Walmart-backed Indian payments platform, is targeting an IPO valuation between $9 billion and $10.5 billion, a discount to its last private funding round. The IPO will raise roughly $1 billion solely from existing shareholders, with Walmart reducing its stake and Tiger Global and Microsoft exiting completely.

  The article covers PhonePe's IPO plans, valuation, and key selling shareholders. It also details the competitive Indian fintech landscape and the company's financial performance.

  A major focus is the challenge of monetization, as PhonePe operates in a low-margin market and its losses are widening despite revenue growth. Investor excitement has cooled due to questions about profitability in an overcrowded sector.

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  tech 5

  China’s tech leaders urge faster AI, humanoid robot adoption in ‘two sessions’ proposals

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-04 06:37)

  Chinese tech executives have proposed policy recommendations ahead of the annual "two sessions," urging accelerated adoption of AI and humanoid robots. Their proposals specifically call for promoting industrial use of robots, speeding up AI agent deployment, and expanding computing power infrastructure.

  These suggestions are framed as crucial for China's competitiveness in the global technology race and align with strategic planning for the upcoming 15th five-year plan. Specific recommendations include funding for long-term innovation, establishing intelligent vehicle standards, and developing "industrial tourism" to showcase manufacturing.

  The main topics covered are the policy proposals for advancing artificial intelligence and robotics, the focus on industrial application and infrastructure, and the context of China's strategic five-year planning.

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  tech 5

  Meta, NewsCorp in AI content licensing deal worth up to $50 million annually

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 04:48)

  Meta Platforms has signed a multiyear AI content licensing deal with News Corp, valued at up to $50 million annually. The agreement grants Meta rights to use News Corp's U.S. and U.K. content to train its AI models and power its AI products.

  This follows News Corp's separate 2024 partnership with OpenAI, believed to be worth over $250 million. Meta has also secured similar AI content deals with other publishers like CNN and Fox News.

  News organizations are pursuing divergent strategies regarding AI firms, with some forming paid licensing partnerships and others filing copyright lawsuits. For instance, News Corp subsidiaries are suing Perplexity, while The New York Times has both sued OpenAI and licensed content to Amazon.

  Main Topics: Meta-News Corp AI licensing deal; financial terms and purpose of such agreements; varying strategies of news organizations towards AI companies (partnerships vs. litigation).

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  tech 4

  Jack Ma, Alibaba executives meet teachers to discuss how education should adapt in AI era

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-04 03:37)

  Jack Ma and senior Alibaba executives met with teachers to discuss adapting education for the AI era. They argued that AI could free students from rote memorization, allowing more focus on cultivating creativity, imagination, and critical thinking.

  The executives emphasized that while AI's impact is immense, it presents significant opportunities, especially for teenagers. They identified communication and the ability to ask the right questions as crucial future skills.

  The high-level attendance from both Alibaba and its affiliate Ant reflected the companies' strong confidence in AI advancement. The meeting took place at a private school in Hangzhou funded by Alibaba's founders.

  Main topics: AI's impact on education, shifting educational focus from memorization to creativity and critical thinking, essential future skills, and Alibaba's commitment to AI development.

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  tech 5

  Head of Alibaba's Qwen AI division resigns

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 03:31)

  Alibaba's Qwen AI model division head, Lin Junyang, announced his resignation without providing a reason. This follows shortly after Alibaba released updated Qwen products.

  The Qwen mobile app saw a massive surge to 203 million monthly active users in February, up from 31 million in January. This growth is attributed to aggressive promotional campaigns during the Lunar New Year holidays.

  The app is now ranked as the third most popular AI product globally, behind ChatGPT and ByteDance's Doubao.

  Main topics: Executive departure at Alibaba, user growth of the Qwen AI app, competitive AI landscape.

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  tech 5

  Sam Altman tells staff OpenAI has no say over Pentagon decisions

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 03:30)

  OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees the company cannot make operational decisions for the Defense Department, which will listen to OpenAI's technical expertise but not its opinions on the morality of specific military actions. This followed OpenAI's recent agreement allowing the Pentagon to deploy its AI models on classified networks, a deal Altman acknowledged was initially "opportunistic and sloppy" and is being revised to explicitly prohibit uses like domestic mass surveillance and ensure human responsibility for force.

  The agreement came after a standoff with rival Anthropic, which had demanded its technology not be used for mass surveillance or autonomous weapons. Altman also stated he is advocating for the Pentagon to remove its "supply-chain risk" designation of Anthropic, a label typically applied to foreign adversaries.

  Main topics: The dynamics of AI company contracts with the U.S. military, specifically OpenAI's new agreement and the preceding tensions with Anthropic; the ethical boundaries and principles (like prohibiting mass surveillance and autonomous weapons) that companies seek to enforce; and the ongoing dispute involving Anthropic's designation as a supply-chain risk.

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  tech 6

  Trial against Meta in New Mexico highlights video depositions by top executives

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 02:44)

  Prosecutors in New Mexico presented video depositions of Meta executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri, as central evidence in a trial. They accuse Meta of violating consumer protection laws by failing to properly disclose and address risks of addiction and child sexual exploitation on its platforms like Instagram.

  Meta's defense countered that it actively works to remove harmful content and discloses risks to users. During questioning, Mosseri stated the company prioritizes safety over profit, but prosecutors contrasted this with internal documents showing features to reduce compulsive teen use were not always adopted.

  The trial's outcome, along with a similar case in Los Angeles, could influence thousands of lawsuits against social media companies. The main topics covered are the legal allegations against Meta, the executive depositions and testimony, and the potential broader impact of the trials.

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  tech 7

  AI contract restrictions could threaten military missions: US official

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 02:33)

  A senior Pentagon official revealed that commercial AI contracts contain sweeping operational restrictions that could paralyze U.S. military missions, including planning combat operations. The official described alarming terms that could cause an AI model to stop mid-operation if terms were violated, specifically citing restrictions affecting commands overseeing air operations in sensitive regions.

  The disclosures help explain a recent dispute between the Pentagon and AI company Anthropic, whose tool Claude was reportedly used to help plan a military operation. Following the disagreement, Anthropic was banned from government business and labeled a national security risk, while rival OpenAI struck a new deal with the Department of Defense.

  The main topics covered are the restrictive terms in Pentagon AI contracts, the specific operational risks these terms pose, and the resulting conflict between the U.S. military and AI provider Anthropic.

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  tech 6

  Anthropic nears $20 billion revenue run rate amid Pentagon feud

  (Tech-Economic Times / 2026-03-04 02:19)

  Anthropic is projecting nearly $20 billion in annual revenue, a rapid increase driven by strong adoption of its AI products like Claude Code, and the company is now valued at $380 billion.

  However, the U.S. Defense Department has declared Anthropic a supply-chain risk, aiming to cut off its government sales after the company sought restrictions on military use of its AI for surveillance and weapons.

  Anthropic has called the designation legally unsound and plans to challenge it in court, while the long-term business impact is uncertain despite a recent surge in consumer app downloads.

  Main Topics: Anthropic's financial growth and valuation; its clash with the Pentagon over AI safeguards and the supply-chain risk designation; the potential business and legal repercussions.