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Showing articles 316 - 330 of 672 total (matching filters).

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  tech 5

  Alibaba’s Qwen tech lead steps down after major AI push

  (TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 23:16)

  A key technical leader, Junyang Lin, has abruptly stepped down from Alibaba's Qwen AI team just one day after the company launched its new Qwen 3.5 small model series. His departure prompted strong reactions from colleagues and industry partners, who described him as central to the project and his exit as a significant loss.

  The move occurs amid intense global competition in AI development, with Alibaba's Qwen models being a prominent Chinese open-weight effort that rivals leading U.S. systems. The circumstances surrounding Lin's departure remain unclear, and Alibaba has not commented on the reasons or the team's leadership structure.

  Main topics covered: Executive departure, AI model development and competition, team and industry reaction.

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  tech 5

  China should up education spending to help population adapt to AI era: economist

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-03 23:00)

  A prominent Chinese economist advocates for increased government investment in early childhood education and lifelong learning to help the population adapt to the AI era. He argues education must be viewed as a societal imperative to ensure employability across all ages, including for older workers, as AI reshapes the labor market.

  The article states that AI is changing, not simply replacing, jobs, and the future trajectory of the labor market depends on effective policy management during this transition.

  The main topics covered are: the need for increased education funding in China, adapting the workforce to AI disruptions, and the societal importance of lifelong learning.

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  tech 5

  No fooling: NASA targets April 1 for Artemis II launch to the Moon

  (Ars Technica / 2026-03-03 22:54)

  NASA has repaired a helium flow issue that forced the Artemis II moon rocket to roll back from its launch pad in late February. The problem was traced to a dislodged seal in a ground-to-rocket connection, which has now been fixed and validated.

  The rocket will remain inside the Vehicle Assembly Building for a couple more weeks for assessment before returning to the pad. This follows a previous successful fueling test that resolved an earlier hydrogen leak issue.

  The main topics covered are the technical repair of the rocket's helium system, the schedule for returning it to the launch pad, and the context of recent testing setbacks.

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  tech 4

  Intel Chairman Frank Yeary retires, Craig Barrat to become the new chairman of the Board of Directors

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-03 22:39)

  Intel has announced that Dr. Craig H. Barratt will become its new independent board chairman in mid-May, replacing Frank D. Yeary who is retiring after approximately 17 years on the board.

  Barratt, an engineer and semiconductor executive with decades of experience at companies like Atheros, Qualcomm, and Google, is expected to lead Intel as an integrated device manufacturer focused on rigorous execution and U.S.-based R&D and manufacturing.

  This leadership change follows Yeary's tenure, during which he had previously advocated for splitting Intel's product design and manufacturing units, a strategy now being set aside.

  The main topics covered are: a corporate leadership change at Intel, the background and vision of the new chairman, and the strategic direction of the company.

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  tech 6

  Just three companies dominated the $189B in VC investments last month

  (TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 22:38)

  Global venture capital funding reached a record $189 billion in February, with AI startups capturing a staggering 90% ($171 billion) of that total. This surge was driven overwhelmingly by three companies: OpenAI ($110B raise), Anthropic ($30B), and Waymo ($16B).

  Together, these three firms accounted for 83% of all venture dollars raised in February. Their combined fundraising last month alone equaled one-third of the total global venture spend for all of 2025.

  Main topics: Record global venture capital funding; dominance of AI startups in fundraising; mega-rounds from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Waymo.

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  tech 4

  TikTok down for some in US, thanks to second Oracle outage since sale

  (TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 22:33)

  A technical issue at an Oracle data center is causing posting delays and disruptions for some TikTok users in the U.S. The outage began around 9 a.m. ET, and this marks the second major TikTok outage linked to Oracle since Oracle became part of the group owning TikTok's U.S. operations.

  The article notes that Oracle provides cloud services and manages user data for TikTok as part of a structure created to comply with U.S. national security law. The cause of this specific outage has not yet been identified by Oracle.

  The main topics covered are a TikTok service outage, its attribution to Oracle infrastructure, and the business relationship between TikTok and Oracle stemming from U.S. regulatory requirements.

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  tech 6

  US investors drive record outlay in Taiwan’s equities market on the back of AI boom

  (Tech - South China Morning Post / 2026-03-03 22:30)

  US investors have increased their holdings in Taiwan's stock market to a record 23% of total market capitalization, up from 13% a decade ago. This surge is driven primarily by the AI boom and a desire to gain exposure to Taiwan's advanced semiconductor industry.

  The growth represents a long-term trend of increasing US investment in Taiwanese equities over the past ten years. Taiwan now ranks as the second-largest destination for US equity holdings in Asia, following only Japan.

  The main topics covered are US investment in Taiwanese stocks, the role of the AI and semiconductor industries in driving this investment, and a comparison of US equity holdings across Asian markets.

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  tech 5

  Downdetector, Speedtest sold to IT service-provider Accenture in $1.2B deal

  (Ars Technica / 2026-03-03 22:20)

  Accenture has acquired Ookla, the owner of Speedtest and Downdetector, from Ziff Davis for $1.2 billion. The IT consultancy plans to integrate Ookla's network performance data and tools to help clients like telecom providers and hyperscalers optimize 5G, Wi-Fi, and AI infrastructure.

  The main topics covered are the acquisition's financial details, Accenture's intended use of Ookla's data products for network optimization and other enterprise applications, and an overview of Ookla's key services and financial performance.

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  tech 5

  FCC chair calls Paramount/WBD merger "a lot cleaner" than defunct Netflix deal

  (Ars Technica / 2026-03-03 22:05)

  FCC Chairman Brendan Carr supports the proposed Paramount Skydance acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, stating it is "a lot cleaner" from a regulatory perspective than a previous, failed Netflix bid for WBD. He argued a Netflix-WBD merger raised significant antitrust concerns due to the combined scale in streaming, whereas the current deal presents potential consumer benefits.

  The article notes the deal has political backing from former President Trump and is financed in part by Larry Ellison's pledge and foreign investors. This foreign investment may trigger an FCC review under foreign ownership rules, as Paramount owns broadcast licenses for CBS stations.

  The main topics covered are the regulatory perspective on the media merger, a comparison to a previous Netflix proposal, the financial and political backing of the deal, and potential FCC review triggers related to broadcast licenses and foreign ownership.

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  tech 5

  AI companies are spending millions to thwart this former tech exec’s congressional bid

  (TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 21:44)

  Political ads are attacking New York Assembly member Alex Bores over his past work at Palantir, a company that provides technology to ICE. Bores counters that he quit Palantir in 2019 specifically over its ICE work and is now running for Congress.

  A super PAC called Leading the Future, backed by major tech figures like Palantir's co-founder and OpenAI's president, is funding the ads against him. The PAC has raised $125 million to oppose candidates supporting state-level AI regulation and to support those favoring minimal oversight.

  Bores, who sponsored a state AI transparency law, believes he is being targeted because his tech background and regulatory stance make him a threat to the industry's preference for limited regulation. The conflict highlights a broader political battle between state efforts to regulate AI and tech industry opposition.

  Main Topics: New York congressional race, political advertising, AI regulation, tech industry political funding, Palantir and ICE.

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  tech 4

  What we can learn from scientific analysis of Renaissance recipes

  (Ars Technica / 2026-03-03 20:23)

  A new study reveals that 16th-century medical manuals were popular DIY guides for laypeople, who actively experimented with and personalized home remedies. Researchers used proteomics to analyze protein traces from fingerprints left on these manuscripts, linking scientific data with historical context.

  This hands-on approach to knowledge, evidenced by extensive marginal notes, represents a significant cultural shift toward practical experimentation during the Renaissance. The interdisciplinary study marks the first application of proteomic analysis to such historical recipes.

  The main topics covered are: historical DIY medicine in the Renaissance, the use of proteomics in historical analysis, and the cultural shift toward practical, experimental knowledge.

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  tech 5

  ChatGPT’s new GPT-5.3 Instant model will stop telling you to calm down

  (TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 20:20)

  OpenAI is releasing an updated model, GPT-5.3 Instant, specifically designed to reduce the overly cautious and preachy tone that frustrated users of its predecessor. The previous model, GPT-5.2, often responded with unsolicited reassurances and mental health disclaimers, which many found condescending and irrelevant to their factual queries. This "cringe" tone led to widespread user complaints and even subscription cancellations.

  The new model aims to improve conversational flow and relevance by removing these automatic therapeutic interjections, focusing instead on acknowledging the query's context without making assumptions about the user's emotional state. OpenAI states the update addresses direct user feedback, seeking a better balance between empathy and providing direct, useful information.

  The main topics covered are: OpenAI's model update to address tone, user backlash against "preachy" AI responses, and the challenge of balancing safety guardrails with user experience.

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  tech 6

  Anduril aims at $60 billion valuation in new funding round

  (TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 20:06)

  Palmer Luckey's defense-tech company is undergoing a major multibillion-dollar funding round led by firms including Thrive Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. This follows a $2.5 billion round last summer and could reportedly bring up to $8 billion in new capital.

  The funding effort coincides with a tense period for defense startups, highlighted by a U.S. government contract dispute with AI company Anthropic. Luckey has publicly supported the government's hardline stance against outsourcing critical defense capabilities.

  Main topics: Major funding round for a defense-tech startup; the challenging current climate for defense contractors; government contract disputes with AI companies.

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  tech 5

  Seagate begins shipping 44TB hard drives with HAMR tech to data centers — Mozaic 4+ platform expands to 10 platters

  (Latest from Tom's Hardware / 2026-03-03 20:06)

  Seagate has begun shipping 44TB hard drives to select cloud service providers, marking a new capacity milestone. The drives are based on its Mozaic 4+ platform, which utilizes Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) technology and 10 platters to achieve this density.

  The announcement appears timed to counter rival Western Digital's planned 40TB drives, with Seagate positioning its HAMR technology as more advanced. The company also emphasizes the new drives' efficiency, claiming they can significantly reduce the physical footprint and power consumption of data centers when deployed at scale.

  Main topics: Seagate's 44TB HDD shipment, the Mozaic 4+ and HAMR technology, competitive landscape with Western Digital, and the efficiency benefits for data centers.

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  tech 5

  Claude Code rolls out a voice mode capability

  (TechCrunch / 2026-03-03 20:02)

  Anthropic is launching a Voice Mode for its Claude Code AI coding assistant, allowing developers to use spoken commands for a more hands-free workflow. The feature is currently available to about 5% of users, with a broader rollout planned in the coming weeks.

  Key details about the feature's limitations, such as usage caps or whether it uses a third-party voice provider, remain unclear. The launch occurs within a highly competitive market for AI coding assistants.

  Claude Code is reported to be widely adopted, with its run-rate revenue surpassing $2.5 billion and weekly active users having doubled since January.

  Main Topics: Anthropic's Voice Mode for Claude Code, feature rollout and access, competitive AI coding assistant market, Claude Code's adoption and revenue.