AT&T delivers a scare by telling customers they’ll need to upgrade their phone to maintain service, a new survey states the obvious about social media, and Elon Musk issues another warning about artificial intelligence.
It’s all the tech news that’s popular right now. Welcome to Hashtag Trending! It’s Thursday, July 23, and I’m your host, Alex Coop.
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AT&T criticized for startling "buy a new phone or lose service" warning from technology
AT&T is sending out emails telling users they will need a new smartphone if they want to continue “receiving service.” It’s worth noting AT&T doesn’t suggest that users will lose service instantly – but it does suggest that some users will need a new phone if they plan on continuing to get phone calls by the time the countdown is done. The company tried to quell fears shortly after. Telling users willing to “help” you get a new phone. “Our team is here to find a compatible device that fits your needs,” AT&T said according to slashgear.com. The publication also explained how AT&T is actually phasing out its 3G network by 2022. According to AT&T, you’ll need a new phone by February of the year 2022, but this only includes “3G devices and 4G wireless devices that don’t support HD Voice.”
Nearly 3 in 4 US adults say social media companies have too much power, influence in politics from technology
A Pew Research survey released this wee says 72 per cent of U.S. adults believe social media companies wield too much power. What a shocker. The findings come as four major tech executives prepare to testify before the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee about their roles in the economy and society on July 27. The companies include Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple. The news has spurred an intense discussion on Reddit about the role social media has on businesses, people’s lives, and the political world.
Elon Musk said people who don’t think AI could be smarter than them are ‘way dumber than they think they are’ from technology
Lastly, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was in the news again, but this time for his comments about AI. This week Musk said that those who don’t think a computer could become smarter than them are “way dumber than they think they are.” Musk has been hollering about AI from mountain tops for years. He’s previously stated that he believes AI poses a much larger threat to humanity than nuclear weapons and called for regulations to monitor the development of AI technology.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing.
