Zoom allows AI to train using certain customer data. Can AI replace architects? U.S. government scientists claim nuclear fusion achieves a net energy gain for the second time. And Elon Musk has a secret move for his cage match with Mark Zuckerberg. I am the Walrus.
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These are the top tech news stories on today’s Hashtag Trending.
I’m your host Jim Love, CIO of IT World Canada and Tech News Day in the US.
Zoom has updated its terms of service, allowing the company to train its artificial intelligence models using certain customer data. Effective from July 27, the new terms grant Zoom the right to use “service-generated data” for the training and tuning of its AI and machine-learning models. This data encompasses customer information related to product usage, telemetry, diagnostic data, and other content collected by Zoom. Notably, there is no opt-out option provided. While the content of messages, files, and documents are not included in this category, Zoom has clarified that they do not use audio, video, or chat content for AI training without obtaining customer consent. In June, Zoom launched two generative AI features, and users who enable these features must sign a consent form allowing Zoom to train its AI models using their individual customer content.
Sources include: CNBC
AI is making significant inroads into the architecture industry, with tools that can design entire buildings in mere minutes. Wanyu He, an architect from Shenzhen and founder of XKool, showcased an AI tool that could design a 500-room hotel complex in minutes. This isn’t just a theoretical exercise; the hotel was built in just four and a half months. While image-making tools like Dall-E and Midjourney have been creating captivating architectural visuals, the real revolution is in automating the entire design process, from initial concepts to construction.
Neil Leach, author of “Architecture in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” believes that AI’s capabilities in strategic thinking and real-time analysis already surpass human architects.
However, some architects warn about the potential misuse of data and the implications for data privacy. As AI continues to evolve in the architectural realm, the profession must grapple with its implications and potential transformations.
Sources include: The Guardian
U.S. government scientists have marked a significant milestone by achieving a net energy gain in a fusion reaction for the second time. This accomplishment boosts the hope for limitless, zero-carbon power. Fusion, the process that powers the Sun, has been a sought-after energy source since the 1950s. The goal is to produce more energy from the fusion reaction than what is consumed, it’s known as ignition. The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, which achieved ignition for the first time last year, managed to replicate this breakthrough on July 30, producing even higher energy output than before.
Fusion involves heating two hydrogen isotopes to extreme temperatures, causing their atomic nuclei to merge, releasing vast amounts of energy.
While fusion power stations might still be decades away, the potential benefits are immense: no carbon emissions, no long-lived radioactive waste, and a small amount of hydrogen fuel could power a house for centuries.
But to keep it realistic, the recent experiment indicated an energy output greater than 3.5 megajoules, enough to power a household iron for an hour. So basically, you could iron your pants and a shirt on this energy.
However, challenges remain, including the need for reactions that generate significantly more energy and increasing the frequency of shots from the National Ignition Facility’s laser.
Sources include: The Guardian
Fujitsu has announced its decision to stop selling personal computers in Europe starting from spring next year. This move is attributed to the declining sales in the sector post the pandemic surge. The company’s focus is shifting towards becoming a “DX company” to support digital transformation, with sustainability transformation at its core. Despite this exit, Fujitsu will continue to ship its Client Computing Devices (CCD) products until April 2024. The company’s European operations will now concentrate on its server and storage business and related services.
This strategic shift follows Fujitsu’s previous announcements, such as ending hardware production in Germany by 2020 and discontinuing sales of mainframes and Unix server systems by 2030. The current market scenario isn’t favorable for PC brands, with Gartner reporting a 14.6 per cent decline in EMEA PC shipments in Q2 2023, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of decline.
Sources include: The Register
Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has expressed skepticism over a proposed cage fight with Tesla and X’s CEO, Elon Musk. In a post on the new social media app Threads, Zuckerberg proposed 26 August for the fight, while Musk, on his platform X, mentioned he was training for it.
The rivalry intensified after the launch of Threads by Meta, which saw over 100 million sign-ups in just a few days.
Musk has suggested that the fight could be broadcast live on X, with proceeds going to veterans charities. Both moguls have been teasing each other on their respective platforms, with Musk naming his potential fight move “The Walrus.” While Zuckerberg is known for his martial arts enthusiasm, Musk’s challenge might be more tongue-in-cheek.
Sources include: BBC
Those are the top tech news stories for today. Hashtag Trending goes to air 5 days a week with a special weekend interview show we call “the Weekend Edition.”
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