Waymo has announced that its driverless taxis will be available for hire on the streets of London next year.
This makes London the first European city to implement Waymo’s technology for a self-driving taxi service, similar to what’s currently operational in San Francisco and four other cities in the US.
The company confirmed that its vehicles are en route to London and will start navigating the city’s roads in the coming weeks, with “trained human experts,” or safety drivers, overseeing operations.
Originally a spin-off of Google’s self-driving car initiative and part of the parent group Alphabet, Waymo stated it would collaborate closely with the London Department for Transport to secure the necessary permits for fully autonomous vehicles by 2026.
Uber and UK tech firm Wave have also revealed plans to trial their own driverless taxis in London next year, following the UK government’s decision to fast-track regulations permitting public trials of self-driving vehicles ahead of complete legislation.
Heidi Alexander, Secretary of Transportation, expressed: “We are thrilled that Waymo intends to bring this service to London next year, in line with our proposed pilot program.
“Revitalizing the AV sector will create jobs, draw investment, and provide opportunities within the UK, while expanding accessible transportation options. Advancements like this will support our goal of becoming a leader in new technologies and spearheading national rejuvenation.”
The comprehensive rollout of self-driving taxis in the UK is anticipated to happen after the Self-Driving Vehicles Act is fully implemented in the latter half of 2027.
Waymo has a solid relationship with the UK, having established its first European engineering hub in Oxford back in 2019. The firm is also launching a service in Tokyo utilizing Jaguar Land Rover electric vehicles, marking its only current venture outside the United States.
Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO of Waymo, remarked that the technology is enhancing “road safety and making transport more accessible,” adding: “We have shown how to responsibly scale fully autonomous ride-hailing services, and we are eager to share the advantages of our technology in the UK.”
Waymo initiated its self-driving taxi services in 2020 and claims to have transported over 10 million passengers in the United States.
Despite some concerning incidents, Waymo asserts that data indicates that human-driven vehicles are involved in pedestrian accidents 12 times more frequently than self-driving cars.
Instagram is set to implement a PG-13 style rating system to enhance parental control over their teens’ interactions on the platform.
Owned by Meta, Instagram will introduce guidelines akin to the U.S. “Parental Guidance” movie ratings established 41 years ago for all content viewed by teen accounts. Consequently, users under 18 will automatically be categorized under the 13+ setting, with the option to opt out only with parental consent.
Currently, teen accounts restrict or prohibit sexually suggestive material, graphic images, and promotions for adult content like alcohol and tobacco. The forthcoming PG-13 framework will impose even stricter regulations.
Meta indicated that it will limit visibility on posts promoting “harmful” activities, including strong language, risky stunts, or content featuring marijuana accessories. Additionally, search terms like “alcohol” and “gore” will be blocked, even if misspelled.
Mehta commented, “While there are distinctions between movies and social media, our modifications aim to provide a teen experience within a 13+ context that parallels viewing a PG-13 film,” emphasizing the desire to communicate the policy in a familiar framework for parents.
The closest equivalent to PG-13 in British film ratings is 12A. Notably, Instagram’s new rating doesn’t impose a complete ban on nudity, similar to how PG-13/12A films like Titanic include brief nudity that isn’t explicitly sexual. Moderate violence, akin to what is found in Fast & Furious films, will also remain accessible.
This initiative follows a study by a former Meta whistleblower, revealing that 64% of new safety features on Instagram are ineffective. The assessment was conducted by Arturo Bejar, a former Meta senior engineer, alongside academics from New York University, Northeastern University, and the Molly Rose Foundation in the UK. Béjart stated, “Children are not safe on Instagram.” Mehta dismissed the findings, asserting that parents possess robust tools at their disposal.
Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, urged social media platforms to adopt a “safety-first” strategy and warned that non-compliance could lead to enforcement actions.
Mehta announced that the Instagram update will begin in the U.S., UK, Australia, and Canada, with plans to expand to Europe and globally early next year.
Activists raised concerns regarding whether these changes will effectively enhance safety.
Rowan Ferguson, policy manager at the Molly Rose Foundation, remarked: “Despite Meta’s numerous public statements, we have not received substantial safety improvements for teens, and our recent report indicates that there’s still work to be done to shield them from harmful content.”
“These additional updates will need to be evaluated for their effectiveness, which necessitates transparency from Meta for independent testing of safety features.”
On his recent visit to Washington, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman articulated a stark vision of a future dominated by AI, where entire job sectors could vanish. The President has embraced ChatGPT’s guidance, leveraging artificial intelligence as a potential tool for mass disruption.
Addressing the Capital Framework meeting during a substantial gathering of banking executives at the Federal Reserve, Altman asserted that advancements in AI will lead to the complete eradication of certain jobs.
“I believe some roles will be entirely obsolete,” he stated. “That’s the category I’m referring to. When you reach out for customer support, you’re interacting with AI. That’s acceptable.”
During the discussion, Altman conveyed his thoughts to Michelle Bowman, the Federal Reserve’s Vice Chairman for Oversight, saying, “As the founder of OpenAI, I have already seen a significant transformation in customer service.”
He shifted the conversation to healthcare, proposing that the diagnostic abilities of AI surpass those of human doctors, although he cautioned against considering AI as the sole provider of medical care.
“Today, ChatGPT can outperform many doctors in diagnostics. However, patients still seek out physicians. I may not be the only one concerned, but I wouldn’t want to risk my health to an AI without a human doctor involved,” he remarked.
Altman’s visit coincided with the Trump administration’s unveiling of the “AI Action Plan,” aimed at clarifying and easing various regulations while advocating for more data centers. His recent engagement aligns with a federal government under Donald Trump that has embraced an accelerated approach, especially in contrast to the past few years. Despite the technological shifts over the years, under the Biden administration, OpenAI and its competitors have called for more robust AI regulations, while discussions under Trump focus on outpacing China.
In an informal discussion, he expressed that one of his main concerns is the rapidly advancing destructive potential of AI, suggesting that it could be weaponized to target the U.S. financial system. Despite being impressed by developments in voice cloning, Altman cautioned the audience regarding the same advancements that could enable sophisticated fraud and identity theft.
OpenAI and Altman are clearly making significant strides in Washington, ready to engage in the discourse where Elon Musk once held prominence. With plans to establish his company’s first office in the capital next year, Altman appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee for his inaugural Congressional testimony since his high-profile appearance that catapulted him onto the global stage in May 2023.
Donald Trump announced plans to begin discussions with China regarding the TikTok deal on either Monday or Tuesday.
The US President indicated that the US has “mostly” finalized a deal to sell the TikTok short-video application.
“I think we’ll start on Monday or Tuesday… I may talk to President Xi or one of his representatives, but we’re mostly set with the deal,” Trump shared with reporters on Air Force One last Friday.
Trump also mentioned the possibility of visiting Xi Jinping in China, or that Chinese officials might come to the US.
Last month, both leaders exchanged invitations to visit each other’s countries.
Last month, Trump extended the deadline for the China-based ordinance to September 17th, concerning the sale of TikTok’s US assets, which is a popular social media platform with 170 million users in the United States.
Earlier this spring, there was a deal in motion to create a new US-based company for TikTok, predominantly owned by American investors, but it was stalled after China indicated disapproval, coinciding with the announcement of high tariffs on Chinese goods.
Trump stated on Friday that the US needs to secure a transaction that has likely been authorized by China.
When asked about his confidence in Beijing’s willingness to finalize the deal, he responded: “I’m not confident, but I think so. President Xi and I have a good relationship. I believe that benefits them.”
Trump’s June extension marks his third executive order aimed at delaying the ban or sale of TikTok, providing an additional 90 days to identify potential buyers or risk the app being banned in the US.
His first executive order, which granted TikTok a temporary respite, was issued on his first day in office, just three days after the Supreme Court upheld the ban. He issued a second executive order in April, with deadlines for sale or ban initially set for June 19th. TikTok will now be available until September.
In a statement released on the same day, TikTok expressed gratitude towards Trump and J.D. Vance, saying, “We appreciate President Trump’s leadership,” and noted that TikTok seeks to reach an agreement to “continue collaborating with Vice President Vance’s office.”
Democratic Senator Mark Warner, vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused Trump of sidestepping the law in an effort to enforce it.
Honda’s newest initiative is literally reaching new heights.
On Wednesday, the Japanese automaker revealed that it has successfully developed its own “experimental reusable rocket,” which has completed a landing. According to company representatives, the roughly 21-foot tall booster achieved an altitude of 890 feet before landing vertically.
These test flights indicate that the global landscape of space operations is expanding towards the commercial sector, moving beyond a handful of government agencies.
While Honda has not yet shared specific plans on how it aims to commercialize its rocket technology or the intended applications of its boosters, the initiative is part of Honda’s commitment to “sustainable transport.”
“We view rocket research as a substantial endeavor that leverages Honda’s technological capabilities,” stated Toshihiro Mibe, Honda’s global CEO in a statement.
The test launch and landing occurred on Tuesday at a Honda facility located in Taika Town, Hokkaido Prefecture. The flight duration was 56.6 seconds, with the rocket landing within approximately 15 inches of the designated target area.
Honda aims to achieve a suborbital launch by 2029. This type of flight does not achieve a complete orbit around Earth, but reaches the edge of space at altitudes exceeding 65 miles.
Although Honda initially announced its foray into the space industry in 2021, details about ongoing projects or potential applications remain scarce. The company indicated that this endeavor builds on other Honda initiatives, including efforts related to automated driving systems.
“We are witnessing an exponential increase in data consumption, and the proliferation of satellites has raised expectations for utilizing data systems in space,” noted a company representative in a news release. “Considering this trend, the demand for satellite launch rockets is anticipated to rise significantly in the coming years.”
Reusable rockets are increasingly viewed as a method to enhance the sustainability and cost-efficiency of space launches. US company SpaceX continues to lead the industry with its reusable Falcon 9 rocket, while also developing a next-generation booster known as Starship, which is expected to be fully reusable.
On Tuesday, Elon Musk stated that he intends to reduce his political spending in the coming period. If accurate, this signifies a significant change from last year when he emerged as one of the Republicans’ most ardent financial supporters.
“I believe my political expenditures will be much less moving forward,” Musk remarked during a video interview with Bloomberg News at the Qatar Economic Forum.
Bloomberg’s Mishal Hussain inquired whether Musk had determined his spending for the midterm elections, which prompted Musk to reply with, “I think I’ve done enough.” It was uncertain if he was joking, but it elicited laughter from the audience.
Last year, the CEO of SpaceX contributed nearly $300 million to support Donald Trump, with his American PAC political organization anticipated to play a significant role in boosting Republican candidates in the 2026 elections. His political contributions and notable position in the Trump administration as the “Doctor of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) have generated international backlash, negatively impacting both Tesla’s popularity and car sales.
When Hussain followed up regarding whether Musk’s retreat from politics influenced his contributions, Musk didn’t clarify, although he hinted at the potential for changing his stance.
“If I find a reason to engage politically in the future, I will. Currently, I’m not seeing any reason,” Musk stated.
Musk was a significant donor during Trump’s reelection campaign, supporting the Pro Trump Group and sponsoring a sweepstakes where pre-elected voters received a $1 million check. Earlier this year, he allocated $25 million to the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, but his contributions were also critiqued, as Democrats focused on his unpopularity and external influences during the campaign.
Following the Wisconsin elections, where Musk’s candidates did not perform well, some Republicans began to reconsider how to balance their financial ambitions with the public’s negative sentiment towards him. Musk had previously seemed poised to leverage his immense resources to disrupt the electoral landscape. According to a Wall Street Journal Report, his top political strategist met with a Nevada consultant in March to discuss upcoming races.
The interviews in Qatar involved numerous exchanges and Musk addressing key media, lasting approximately 40 minutes. He asserted that he would lead Tesla for at least the next five years and that it took time to respond to the Wall Street Journal. Recent reports indicated that the automaker’s board of directors began searching for a potential CEO replacement for Musk. Additionally, Musk faced criticism from fellow tech billionaire Bill Gates, who compared him to “frequently Jeffrey Epstein,” contesting that his DOGE could jeopardize international aid and harm children’s health, as Gates remarked in a recent interview.
Musk mentioned that he plans to dine with Trump this week but has recently stepped back from living full-time in Washington, D.C., and aims to dedicate more time to managing companies like Tesla.
Jonathan McDowell is the go-to expert for all spaceflight. Thousands of subscribers read his monthly Space Reportand we’ve seen him explain unexpected events on orbit on cable news and other media platforms.
But it was always his side gig. For 37 years, Dr. McDowell was an X-ray astronomy expert at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Earlier this year, he announced that he would retire from the role and also leave the US for the UK.
The decision, he said, was complicated by policy changes that have been the first since President Trump took office due to continued pressure on the federal science budget.
“It doesn’t seem like there’s any more opportunity to be an effective scientist and an effective person building the scientific community,” Dr. McDowell said. “I’m just proud to be as American as I used to be.”
Born in the US and the UK to gain dual citizenship, Dr. McDowell joined the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in 1988 and leads the Science Data Systems Group at NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory, the 26th space telescope.
He’s preparing to move abroad, and with the accent he jokes, he’s clearly becoming British. This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.
What is your interest in space?
There were really two routes. The satellites and space side really came from the Apollo program. I remember walking home from a school in the northern UK. I saw the moon in the sky and said, “Next week there will be humans there for the first time. They will be in another world.” It blew my 9-year-old mind.
The astronomical side was wondering what the real story was about where we came from and how the universe turned out to be. It pushed me towards an interest in cosmology at a very early age. My dad was a physicist and my babysitter was everything. I didn’t realize there were other options.
Another major influence was “Doctor Who.” I started watching it at the age of three. It infuses me with the wonders about the universe and the idea that one crazy person can help how humanity interacts with it.
All of them came together and I was just fascinated by what was there.
The UK school system specializes early. I’ve been doing orbital calculations since I was 14, and since I learned Russian, I was able to read what the Soyuz astronauts were doing. I have completed my PhD. At Cambridge University, I was able to spend time with people like current astronomer royals Stephen Hawking and Martin Reese. It wouldn’t have been a better training.
On the side, I used my technical skills to get deeper into spaceflight. At the time, the media didn’t actually cover the space, so I forced my own research.
Did that lead to the creation of Jonathan’s Space Report in 1989?
I just moved to Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatoryIt was once the center of space information for the public in the 1950s. The civil servants began attacking me with questions they still get from the public, so in Self-Defense, they started preparing their briefings about what’s happening in space every week.
Someone has recommended that I put a briefing in Usenet, a kind of precursor to the web, but it doesn’t exist yet. To my surprise, it was popular. And I never looked back.
In the US, in particular, we saw it more internationally than most news sources. I gave it the same weight as what Russians, Chinese and Europeans did. It helped me gain a reputation and people in the space industry started sending me information.
Why did you keep your space report free?
Honestly, most of the work I do for myself anyway. I am the No. 1 reader. But I now have this role of being someone who trusts to say what’s going on. If I don’t receive direct money for it, I can maintain its reputation for independence and objectivity.
How have space flight and space exploration changed in your life?
I grew up in the 1960s during a superpower. It was the US, the Soviet Union and the Cold War. In the 1970s, space became more international. China, Japan, France and others have begun selling their own rockets and satellites. Then, in the 1990s, there was a shift towards commercialization in both communications and imaging. And then there was another change in the 2000s and 2010s that I call democratization. There, cheap satellites created space within the budgets of university sectors, developing countries, or start-up companies.
The most important thing in space in 2025 is not that there are more satellites, but more players. This has implications for governance and regulations.
Another way to think about how things have changed is where the frontier is. When I was a child, it was a low-earth orbit. The frontier is now close to the asteroid belt, with the moon and Mars becoming part of the accumulation of humanity. On the other hand, low-Earth orbits are so normalized that they are not necessary to deal with space agencies. Just call SpaceX.
How do you plan to spend your retirement?
The UK has been actively and actively working recently in promoting what we call space sustainability. They are committed to using the space, but they are responsible. I hope to be involved in those efforts.
Compile Large catalogue of Space Junk Around the sun that the US Space Force does not pursue. It’s not anyone’s job to track it right now. We will return years later, so we need to put together our actions for things that are farther, farther, what we send out between the planets. We think that when it’s really a rocket stage, it’s an asteroid that hits Earth.
Obviously, it all needs to be scanned and it will take me years. Somewhere, a reasonable commute from London, you will need to find a new home in the library. My plan is to make it available by appointing it when it is unpacked.
What motivates me to closely record human activity in space?
As an astronomer, I think it’s a measure for a long time. I imagine someone who wants to know that, a thousand years from now, perhaps more extraterrestrial times, has stepped into space for the first time at this important moment in history.
I would like to save this information so that they can reconstruct what we did. That’s who I write about. Not today’s audience, but a thousand years from now.
Elon Musk has stated that he will retract a $97 billion offer to purchase the nonprofit organization behind Openai if the makers of ChatGpt agree to abandon plans to convert them into for-profit entities.
“If the board of Openai, Inc is willing to uphold its charitable mission and ensure that any “sales” are conducted without conversions, Musk will withdraw his bid,” he stated on Wednesday. “If not, the nonprofit must be compensated based on the amount paid by the prospective buyer for the assets.”
Earlier this week, Musk and a group of investors made their offer, adding a new twist to the ongoing controversy surrounding the artificial intelligence company he co-founded a decade ago.
Openai is currently operated by a nonprofit board dedicated to its original mission of developing AI “safer and more advanced than humans” for the public good. However, as the business grows, it has announced plans to change its corporate structure formally.
Musk, along with his AI startup Xai and a group of investment firms, seeks control over Openai by transforming the nonprofit into a for-profit subsidiary.
Openai CEO Sam Altman swiftly dismissed the unsolicited offers in a social media post, reiterating at AI’s Paris Summit that the company is not for sale. Openai’s board chairman, Bret Taylor, echoed these sentiments at the event on Wednesday.
Musk and Altman were instrumental in launching Openai in 2015, but had disagreements over leadership, leading to Musk stepping down from the board in 2018 only to rejoin in 2024.
During a video call at the World Government Summit in Dubai, Musk criticized Altman once again, comparing Openai to turning the Amazon rainforest into a timber company. Altman countered that Musk’s legal challenges were influenced by his competing startups.
Musk is currently seeking a California federal judge’s intervention to prevent Openai’s commercial conversions, alleging breach of contract and antitrust violations. While the judge has shown doubt about some of Musk’s arguments, no ruling has been issued yet.
TikTok stated on Sunday that it would resume service in the United States following President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Earlier that day, the video app received a reprieve from its ban in the country.
President Trump has allowed Truth Social additional time to find a buyer, giving the Chinese-owned video app a lifeline before facing a total shutdown. He proposed that a US company acquire 50% of the stake, signaling his intention to sign an executive order in support of this proposal.
“By doing this, we will save TikTok, ensure it remains in good hands, and keep it afloat,” Trump declared. “Without approval from the US, TikTok would not exist. With our approval, its value could reach hundreds of billions, even trillions of dollars.”
Late Saturday, TikTok suspended its services for approximately 170 million users in the US.
In April, Congress passed a law requiring TikTok, now owned by ByteDance, to sell to a non-Chinese entity or face expulsion from the US. The Supreme Court upheld this provision, leading to the app’s decision to shut down temporarily. The law prohibits the distribution, maintenance, or updates of TikTok in the US if a sale is not secured.
A message popped up for US users of the app from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, stating, “A US law has been enacted banning TikTok, hence its current unavailability.” Trump advocated for a ban during his previous presidential campaign but found it challenging to enforce it in the 2024 election. He made a last-minute attempt to intervene on TikTok’s behalf upon realizing its substantial user base.
TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, expressed gratitude to President Trump for his efforts to maintain the app’s availability in the US. He anticipated attending Trump’s inauguration personally.
In response to Trump’s Sunday message, the company affirmed in a statement its “restoration of services” and assured service providers that there would be no repercussions for enabling TikTok. They thanked President Trump for this action, emphasizing their positive impact on millions of Americans and small businesses, supporting the First Amendment, and opposing arbitrary censorship. They expressed eagerness to work with Trump towards a long-term solution for TikTok in the US.
Several TikTok users reported that the app was fully functional again soon after the announcement.
Concerns about TikTok revolve around the potential access of personal data of US users by the Chinese government and manipulation of the app’s algorithms to control user content. Chu refuted any involvement of the Chinese government in the app, clarifying that ByteDance is not acting as an agent of China or any other country as of 2023.
Reports surfaced last week suggesting that Trump was considering extending the ban through an executive order. The bill allowing the ban on TikTok includes a provision that allows the president to extend the sale deadline by 90 days if sufficient progress is demonstrated, but evidence of substantial progress is required for such an extension to be granted.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson announced his support for banning TikTok in a NBC press event on Sunday. He interpreted Trump’s call to “save TikTok” as a directive to facilitate a legitimate sale and change of ownership for the app.
Lawmakers are primarily concerned about the Chinese Communist Party rather than the app itself, emphasizing the need for ByteDance to complete the sale of TikTok within 270 days to avert potential national security risks.
Some Republican officials oppose the idea of extending the ban’s timeframe, noting that the law should be enforced as written. Senators Tom Cotton and Pete Ricketts stated that China must sever all ties with TikTok and agree to a qualified sale for the app to be considered safe for US users.
Several Democratic lawmakers urged President Biden to allow TikTok a grace period before any shutdown, emphasizing the app’s importance to content creators, privacy concerns, and national security.
Investor Kevin O’Leary reportedly offered TikTok’s owners a $20 billion buyout, while other reports suggest a potential merger with TikTok US or a sale to Elon Musk, which TikTok dismissed as untrue.
Released on December 19, 2013, ESA's star mapping satellite “Gaia” We are now nearing the sky, but this does not mean the mission is complete. Technical tests are scheduled in the weeks before Gaia moves into its “retirement” orbit, with two major data releases scheduled for around 2026 and the end of the century, respectively.
An artist's impression of the Milky Way galaxy based on data from ESA's Gaia Space Telescope. Image credit: ESA / Gaia / DPAC / Stefan Payne-Wardenaar.
ESA Director of Science Carol Mandel said: “Today, as the science observations conclude, we celebrate this amazing mission that has exceeded all our expectations, extending almost twice its original predicted lifetime.” said.
“The treasure trove of data collected by Gaia has given us unique insight into the origin and evolution of the Milky Way galaxy, and has also provided insight into astrophysics and the solar system in ways we still don't fully understand. It transformed science.”
“Gaia is built on Europe’s unique excellence in astronomical measurements and will leave a lasting legacy for future generations.”
“After 11 years in space, surviving micrometeorite impacts and solar storms along the way, Gaia has completed collecting scientific data,” said Gaia project scientist Johannes Sahlmann.
“All eyes are now on preparing for the next data release.”
“We are excited to carry out this incredible mission and are excited about the discoveries that await us.”
An annotated artist's impression of the Milky Way galaxy, based on data from ESA's Gaia Space Telescope. Image credit: ESA / Gaia / DPAC / Stefan Payne-Wardenaar.
Gaia has used the three instruments many times over the course of its mission to observe and chart the stars' positions, distances, movements, changes in brightness, compositions, and numerous other characteristics.
This will allow Gaia to achieve its primary goal of building the largest and most accurate map of the Milky Way, displaying our home galaxy like no other mission has been able to achieve to date. is completed.
“Gaia has changed our impression of the Milky Way, so it contains major changes from previous models,” said Stefan Payne Waldenaar, a science visualizer at the House of Astronomy and the IAU Directorate of Astronomy Education. said.
“Even basic ideas such as the rotation of the galaxy's central bar, the distortion of the disk, the detailed structure of the spiral arms, and the interstellar dust near the sun have been revised.”
“Still, we are still speculating about the distant parts of the Milky Way based on incomplete data.”
“As more Gaia data is released, our view of the Milky Way will become even more accurate.”
Gaia's science and engineering teams are already hard at work preparing for Gaia Data Release 4 (DR4), scheduled for 2026.
The amount and quality of data is increasing with each release, and Gaia DR4, with an expected 500 TB data product, is no exception.
Additionally, it will cover the first 5.5 years of the mission, which is the length of the mission as originally planned.
“This is the release of Gaia that the community has been waiting for, but it's exciting considering it only covers half of the data collected,” said Dr. Antonella Valenari, an astronomer at the National Institute of Astronomical Sciences. Ta.
“Although the mission is currently suspending data collection, it will be business as usual for many years to come as we continue to make these impressive datasets available.”
Over the past decade, Gaia has accumulated more than 3 trillion observations of nearly 2 billion stars and other astronomical objects, revolutionizing the way we see our home galaxy and neighboring universe, and advancing its mission. You have completed the empty scan stage. Image credit: ESA / Gaia / DPAC / Stefan Payne-Wardenaar.
After several weeks of testing, Gaia will leave its current orbit around Lagrangian Point 2, 1.5 million km from Earth, away from the Sun and be placed into a final heliocentric orbit far from Earth's sphere of influence. .
The spacecraft is scheduled to be passivated on March 27, 2025 to avoid harm or interference with other spacecraft.
During the technical test, Gaia's orientation is changed, temporarily making it several orders of magnitude brighter and making it much easier to observe with small telescopes.
Gaia mission manager Uwe Lammers said: “Gaia will shine among the stars before her sad retirement and will treat us with this final gift to bid her farewell.”
“This is a moment to celebrate this transformative mission and to thank all the teams who have worked hard for more than a decade to operate Gaia, plan observations, and ensure the smooth return of valuable data to Earth.”
Billions of pounds are set to be invested in enhancing Britain’s computing capacity, with ministers unveiling plans to integrate artificial intelligence more deeply into the country’s operations, despite widespread public concerns about the repercussions of using AI.
Keir Starmer has introduced an ambitious scheme to boost AI computing power under public ownership 20-fold by 2030 and leverage AI in various applications, ranging from identifying potholes to supporting educators. The initiative is in the works.
Labour’s strategy to ‘unleash’ AI involves the Prime Minister’s personal commitment to position the UK as a ‘world leader’ in this rapidly advancing sector. The government’s proposals include potentially contentious measures to release public data to foster the growth of AI firms. This includes offering anonymized NHS data to “researchers and innovators” for training AI models. The government assures the presence of “robust privacy protections”, ensuring the data remains beyond the control of private entities.
Ministers are optimistic that AI could combat Britain’s sluggish economic expansion and generate an economic injection of up to £470 billion over the coming decade, based on their internal forecasts. The action plan signals a shift from the UK government’s earlier emphasis on addressing critical challenges.
The administration’s commitment to nurture the AI sector has been well received by tech giants like Microsoft, Anthropic, and OpenAI. Mr. Starmer emphasized the necessity for governmental support in the AI domain. Regulatory bodies are tasked with “actively backing innovation,” a stance that may clash with individuals advocating for public protection.
However, experts caution about the societal, employment, and environmental impacts of AI. Recent government research underscores that the terms “robot,” “scary,” and “worry” are top-of-mind for the average person regarding AI.
The political initiative also aims to expedite investments in new small-scale nuclear reactors to power energy-intensive technologies.
Susie Alegre, an expert in technology and human rights, mentions the Post Office scandal as a stark reminder of the perils of overreliance on technology without sufficient oversight mechanisms.
Mr. Starmer urged all cabinet members to prioritize the integration of AI, stating that AI’s transformative potential can enhance various facets of daily life. He stressed the need for swift and decisive action, recognizing the fierce global competition in the realm of AI.
Endeavors to bolster the UK’s AI hardware could position cloud computing as vital to the country’s economy, society, and security as internet access, electricity, oil, and gas. This strategic move is propelled by the belief that…
Effective immediately, the company will be discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program as of Friday, following Meta’s announcement that fact-checking would be eliminated by Mark Zuckerberg.
An internal memo from Meta acknowledged the changing legal and policy landscape surrounding DEI efforts in the United States, referencing recent Supreme Court decisions and the concept of DEI. It also highlighted the “reprehensible” views held by some individuals. Axios and Business Insider initially reported on the memo. Mehta confirmed the termination of DEI practices but did not provide further comment on how this decision aligns with the company’s overarching goals.
Janelle Gale, vice president of human resources, mentioned in the memo the discontinuation of various programs targeting underrepresented groups, such as the Diverse Slate Approach and Representation Goals, which are currently facing challenges. These programs were utilized to promote diverse employment practices.
Despite Meta’s efforts to increase diversity in the workforce, the company will no longer implement certain diversity employment practices, as stated in a new announcement.
Furthermore, the company will be ending its equity and inclusion training program and permanently disbanding its DEI-focused team.
The decision to terminate diversity efforts contradicts Meta’s AI-powered Instagram and Facebook profiles, which highlighted the need for a more representative team.
The termination of DEI initiatives follows Meta’s alignment with Donald Trump and the addition of Trump ally Dana White to the company’s board of directors. Meta joins a list of companies, including McDonald’s, Walmart, Ford, and Lowe’s, that have voluntarily halted their diversity initiatives or have been targeted by far-right groups.
OpenAI has announced plans to reorganize its corporate structure in the coming year, noting that it will establish a public benefit corporation to oversee its expanding operations and alleviate constraints imposed by its current nonprofit parent company.
According to the proposed framework, a for-profit public interest corporation will manage OpenAI’s business activities, while a nonprofit entity will oversee the organization’s philanthropic endeavors in fields like healthcare, education, and science.
This new structure grants greater authority to OpenAI’s commercial division. The company stated in a blog post that it aims to create a “more robust nonprofit entity supported by the accomplishments of a for-profit entity.” OpenAI also mentioned that this setup will enable them to “secure the necessary funding” comparable to other companies in the industry.
Initially established as a nonprofit research-focused organization in 2015, OpenAI is the creator of the popular ChatGPT chatbot and is considered one of the most valuable startups globally.
In pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI), a form of AI surpassing human intellect, OpenAI has been exploring structural modifications over the past year to attract additional investment. The success of the latest $6.6 billion funding round (valuing the company at $157 billion) hinged on restructuring and eliminating profit restrictions for investors.
“Investors are willing to back us, but at this scale of capital, we no longer require traditional funding with extensive structural constraints,” stated OpenAI in a blog post.
Microsoft holds the largest stake in OpenAI at 49%, a situation that could become intricate if OpenAI transitions into a commercial entity. Investment banks have been engaged to facilitate the process and determine Microsoft’s future ownership stake in the reorganized OpenAI. As reported by the Wall Street Journal.
OpenAI’s competitors in the generative AI sector, including Anthropic and Elon Musk’s xAI, have adopted a similar public benefit corporation model. OpenAI believes that adopting this structure can enhance its competitiveness in the market.
“The substantial investment being made by leading companies in AI development underscores the level of commitment needed for OpenAI to advance its mission,” mentioned OpenAI in a blog post. “We once again find ourselves in need of raising more funds than we had anticipated.”
The possum, or Tasmanian tiger, became extinct in 1936
huge life science
The genome of the extinct possum has been almost completely sequenced, the company that brought it back from extinction, Colossal, has announced. The group says the genome is more than 99.9 percent complete and that just 45 gaps will soon be filled, but it has not provided any evidence to support that claim.
“It's quite difficult to obtain the complete genome of almost any organism,” says Emilio Marmol Sánchez of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, whose team first extracted RNA from preserved quolls. For example, the last few holdouts of the human genome have only been fully sequenced in the past few years.
Quosos, also known as Tasmanian tigers, were once carnivorous marsupials found throughout Australia, but by the time European explorers arrived they were restricted to Tasmania. The last known possum died in a zoo in 1936.
The conserved quoll genome is First sequenced in 2017 The tissue used was from a 108-year-old bag of quolls that had been preserved in alcohol. However, this genome was far from complete and had many gaps. Colossal, which is also currently aiming to recreate the woolly mammoth, says it has nearly completed the genome with the help of additional DNA from a 120-year-old tooth.
“While our genome is not as complete as the most complete human genome, we were able to take advantage of some of the same technologies,” said Andrew of the University of Melbourne in Australia, a member of Colossal's scientific advisory board. Pask said.
Completely deciphering the genomes of plants and animals is difficult because they contain large sections of the same sequence that repeat over and over again. Standard techniques for sequencing small segments of DNA at a time do not work for these parts. This is like trying to reconstruct a book from a list of words in the book.
New, long-read techniques can sequence much larger segments of DNA, equivalent to entire pages of a book. However, these methods are not very useful because old DNA is usually split into many small pieces.
“Most ancient samples preserve DNA fragments that are a few dozen or, if we're lucky, a few hundred bases long,” Pask says. “The samples we had access to were so well preserved that we were able to recover DNA fragments several thousand bases long.”
There is no direct way to know how complete it is, given that there are no other possum genomes to compare it to. Instead, Pask says Colossal uses other closely related species in the same family to make this estimate.
But even if the genome were as complete as Colossal thinks and could indeed fill in the remaining gaps, there is currently no feasible way to generate living cells containing this genome. Instead, Colossal plans to genetically modify a living marsupial called a fat-tailed dunnart to resemble a possum.
“This is rather a reproduction of some characteristics,” says Marmol Sánchez. “It would not be an extinct animal, but a very strange and modified version of a modern animal, similar to our image of an extinct animal.”
Colossal announces record 300 gene editsIt affects the genome of Dunnart cells growing in culture. So far, the changes have been small, but Pask says the team plans to swap out tens of thousands of base pairs of thylacine DNA in the near future. He says it's not yet clear how much editing will be needed to achieve the company's goal of recreating the sugar glider.
When asked why Colossal did not provide any evidence to support its claims, the company's CEO, Ben Lamb, said that the company's sole focus was eradicating extinction and that the scientific literature He said it was not writing. “We are not an academic lab whose primary focus is papers,” Lamb said. “We will continue to make progress much faster than the process of writing a scientific paper.”
Today marks the first day of Gamescom, the Cologne trade show that is currently the biggest event on the video game calendar. This year, I wasn't among the 300,000 or so spectators that flocked to Germany, but I did watch the two-hour livestreamed Opening Night broadcast yesterday. But don't worry if you didn't: here we bring you all the most interesting news, organized by theme, because we're tired of writing simple lists of games and trailers.
Frustrating news Xbox The biggest fanboy A new trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, a new first-person adventure from Bethesda and MachineGames, has been released. In it, long-time video game actor Troy Baker looks charmingly excited about playing Indiana Jones. The game will be released on Xbox and PC on December 9th, but it was also announced that it will be released on PlayStation 5 in spring 2025. Earlier this year, Xbox head Phil Spencer said that Indiana Jones will be do not have It's planned to be a multi-platform game, so I'm interested to see how it unfolds.
An unexpected comeback Borderlands 4 is due to be released in 2025, and the trailer revealed very little – perhaps developer Gearbox was trying to capitalize on the anticipation of this month's film, but unfortunately, it wasn't very good.
Master of Albion. Photo: IGN
Peter Molyneux has released a new game, ” Master of Albionhas been kept very quiet (probably unsurprising as some of its recent games have been high-profile flops and the latest, Legacy, is Web3/blockchain and has gone very quiet after making £40m in NFTs in 2021). It's a mash-up of Molyneux's biggest god-game hits: Fable, Black & White, and Dungeon Keeper. By day, you build a town, design food, weapons, and armor to feed and equip your townsfolk, and generally play the role of a god. By night, you possess your warrior subjects and wield clubs to defend your town from fantasy creatures.
Ten years on from the first game, Monument Valley 3 is coming from Ustwo and Netflix, featuring the usual Escher-esque puzzles and mesmerizing colors. It'll be released on December 10th, and the previous two games will also be re-released on Netflix.
And the long-running Mafia series will see a new installment from Brighton-based Hangar 13, Mafia: The Old Country.
A debut game from a nervous developer Glowmade's multiplayer Rick and Morty-style cartoonish gameshow coliseum game, King of Meat, lets players create fearsome gauntlets that other players can challenge, much like a cartoonish Takeshi's Castle, and there was also Lynked: Banner of the Spark, a new cooperative action-adventure game that reminds me a bit of Hi-Fi Rush, from the new studio FuzzyBot, in which you kill evil robots and rescue cute ones to fuse with your arm for fighting powers.
Zombies and men with guns
Dying Light: The Beast. Photo: Techland
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been shown off again ahead of its October launch, revealing one entire level of its single-player campaign, an overwhelmingly silly Cold War action-adventure. (Your character's analog camera is treated with the dignity of a gun, right down to the elaborate reload animations.) Techland is adding a new zombie game to its Dying Light series, The Beast, promising another 20 hours of open-world undead parkour action. There'll be even more zombies to shoot in the upcoming eight-player co-op survival game No More Room in Hell 2. And co-op survival shooter Arc Raiders, previously announced as a free game, will be released in 2025, and do not have You can play freely.
Most delayed TV shows Netflix's 100-player Squid Game was the show's most obvious video game tie-in, and I'm surprised it took this long. It's a selection of Fall Guys-esque cartoonish, sadistic challenges that look like a lot of fun.
Meanwhile, Deadpool director Tim Miller breathlessly teased his company Blur's new Amazon Prime TV series, The Secret Level, an anthology similar to Love, Death + Robots (also a Blur production) and described as a love letter to video games, due for release in December.
game I don't understand it, but it'll probably sell millions of copies.
Dune Awakening has received a tremendous response. Photo: Funcom
Billed as “the coziest open-world game ever,” Infinity Nikki seems like a completely baffling game, featuring pink-haired anime girls and a bunch of weird, cute singing creatures that look like adorable Noah's Ark. I'm not sure what to make of it.
And the upcoming Dune MMO, Dune: Awakening, in which hundreds of players explore the desert planet Arrakis and compete for abandoned technology and spice resources, drew a big response at the event.
For tasteful horror fans The trailer for Tarsier's upcoming Little Nightmares game looks very promising: a complex, intimate side-scrolling horror game. It's called ReanimalMeanwhile, Little Nightmares itself has been handed over to new developer Supermassive, a company with a long history in horror, and a trailer for it has now been released, maintaining the Tim Burton-esque toy-like atmosphere of the first two games.
game It looked especially cool
Majestic…Monster Hunter Wild. Photo: Capcom
With its menacingly majestic creatures, harsh weather, and expensive-looking production, Monster Hunter Wilds is a fantastic piece of work. I'm a long-time fan of the series and can't wait for this new game. Keep an eye out for an interview with the developer on the site soon.
There was an extended preview of Civilization VII, the latest attempt to capture the entire chaos of human history on a computer monitor.
meanwhile, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage The film depicts four kids in the summer of 1995, playing music in their garage and discussing their hopes for the future. But things don't always go as they hoped.
Finally, I note Shepherding the FlockDue for release in 2025, the game has a gentle Last Guardian vibe to it, as a young boy herds giant horned beasts through mountainous terrain.
A turn-based military tactics game…Tactical Breach Wizards. Photo: Suspicious developments
I was looking forward to Tactical Breakthrough Wizard For years, this game has been the third in the Defenestration Trilogy, a series of indie games about fun ways to throw enemies out of windows. It's made by the unfairly fun and talented developer Tom Francis. (Disclosure: I've known Tom since he was a games journalist.) In this turn-based, destructive military tactics game, you play a group of misfit wizards who make up for their uselessness as humans with some very useful abilities, like seeing a second into the future and raising the dead.
Our reviewer, Rick Lane, was totally enthralled by the game, writing, “Its blend of inventive, flexible puzzles and wickedly entertaining writing should be enough to warrant active play on anyone's console. But what qualifies it for the Bureau of Special Arcane Arts is how boldly it critiques the murky morality of military-themed games.”
The European Commission has updated its extensive investigation into Chinese government subsidies for electric cars. They have announced that Tesla will be subjected to a 9% tax on Chinese-made cars exported to the EU.
The tariffs imposed on Tesla are significantly lower than the average of 21.3% on cooperating companies and 36.3% on non-cooperating companies. These tariffs were applied after Tesla requested individual action as part of the broader EU investigation.
Compared to the 100% tariffs imposed by the US, the 9% EU tariffs are relatively low and will be added on top of the existing 10% tariffs on EVs from China.
EU officials visited Tesla’s Shanghai facility in June and stated that the company has benefitted from low-cost batteries and Chinese government subsidies, including cheap land and export subsidies.
The 9% tariffs are expected to be in effect by October 31st, pending approval from EU member states.
Furthermore, the European Commission announced a slight reduction in tariffs on Chinese-made EVs after discussions with the companies. Under the latest proposal, BYD would face a 17% tariff, Geely 19.3%, and SAIC 36.3%. These tariffs have been revised downwards since the provisional measures were first announced and could change again.
EU officials confirmed that companies will not have to pay provisional tariffs until the deadline, as concluded that European automakers are under a “threat of harm” rather than actual harm like factory closures or job losses.
EU officials emphasized the need for action to prevent the surge in Chinese EV exports from causing significant harm to EU producers. They stated that their laws allow them to act before actual harm occurs in terms of job losses or factory closures.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimated that China’s EV support will reach $5.6 billion by 2022, when direct payments to manufacturers are phased out.
BYD has been the largest beneficiary, receiving $3.7 billion in support, while Tesla received about $426 million for its Shanghai factory.
According to a report by China trade website Soapbox, 45% of Beijing’s electric car exports between June 2020 and June 2024 were headed to the EU.
Chinese manufacturers ramped up exports in April ahead of expected tariffs, with import registrations of Chinese-made EVs increasing from April to May before declining, as shown by customs data.
WASHINGTON — THE PRESIDENT Joe Biden marked Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants for residential solar power projects serving more than 900,000 households in low- and moderate-income areas. He also plans to expand the New Deal-style U.S. Climate Change Corps Green Jobs Training Program.
The grants were awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency, with 60 recipients announced on Monday. Government officials expect the projects to reduce emissions by the equivalent of 30 million tons of carbon dioxide and save households $350 million a year.
Biden’s climate announcement is aimed at energizing young voters in his re-election bid. Young people played a key role in defeating then-President Donald Trump in 2020. They have shown interest in Biden’s climate policy and are eager to contribute through programs like the Climate Change Corps.
Solar energy is gaining popularity as a renewable energy source that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels and improve the power grid’s reliability. However, the initial installation cost of solar energy remains a barrier for many Americans.
The grants include 49 state-level grants, six grants for Native American tribes, and five multi-state grants. They can be used for investments in rooftop solar power generation and community solar gardens.
Biden made the announcement at Prince William Forest Park in northern Virginia, about 30 miles southwest of Washington. The park was established in 1936 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.
Biden’s American Climate Corps, modeled after President Roosevelt’s New Deal, offers about 2,000 positions in 36 states, including partnerships with the Building Trades Union of North America.
The grants are part of the Solar for All program, funded by a $27 billion “green bank” established as part of a broader climate law initiative. The program aims to reduce climate change, air pollution, and support disadvantaged communities most affected by climate change.
EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe expressed excitement about the funds benefiting communities, providing skills, creating jobs, and helping households save on utility bills.
Among the businesses receiving grants are nonprofit projects in West Virginia, solar leasing programs in Mississippi, and solar worker training programs in South Carolina.
Concerns remain about Republican opposition to taxpayer-funded green banks and accountability for how the funds are used. The EPA previously allocated the remaining $20 billion in bank funds to support clean energy projects in various organizations and communities.
Former President Donald Trump’s social media company saw a 12% drop in shares on Monday due to a regulatory filing stating the potential sale of millions of additional shares. This resulted in a further decline in stock prices.
The filing revealed that 146.1 million shares of Trump Media & Technology Group could be sold, including 114.8 million owned by Trump himself. Additionally, 21.5 million shares could be sold through warrants issued during the company’s merger with Digital World Acquisition Corp.
Since its market debut on March 26, parent company Truth Social has seen a 60% decrease in stock price. Trump is currently unable to sell any of his shares due to a lock-up agreement until September, tying his wealth to the company’s value. If the price remains stable, he stands to make significant profits from the stock.
On the same day, Trump, the presumed 2024 Republican nominee, began a criminal trial in Manhattan facing 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records in connection to payments to Stormy Daniels. This marks the first criminal trial of a US president and is expected to continue for about six weeks.
Trump is currently under financial strain due to various legal battles over the past year, owing approximately $500 million from civil cases. Trump media has received support from some of his major political donors, providing a lifeline for him to pay off his debts.
Recently, Democratic advocacy groups urged Congress to investigate Trump Media due to suspicious activities. In early April, two Florida brothers pleaded guilty to insider trading linked to the social media company. Additionally, reports suggest that the company is relying on loans from a Russian-American businessman facing federal investigations for money laundering and insider trading.
Meta’s oversight board determined that a Facebook video falsely alleging that U.S. President Joe Biden is a pedophile did not violate the company’s current rules, but expressed that the rules were “disjointed”. It was acknowledged that the focus is too narrow on AI-generated content.
The board, which is funded by Facebook’s parent company Meta but operates independently, took on the Biden video case in October after receiving user complaints about a doctored seven-second video of the president.
The board ruled that under current policies, the misleading altered video would only be prohibited if it was created by artificial intelligence or made to appear to say words that were not actually said. Therefore, Meta was correct in continuing to publish the video.
This ruling is the first to criticize Meta’s policies against “manipulated media” amidst concerns about the potential use of new AI technology to influence upcoming elections.
The board stated that the policy “lacks a convincing justification, is disjointed and confusing to users, and does not clearly articulate the harms it seeks to prevent.” It suggested updating the policy to cover both audio and video content, and to apply a label indicating that it has been manipulated, regardless of whether AI is used.
It did not require the policy to apply to photos, as doing so could make enforcement too difficult at Meta’s scale.
Meta, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, informed the board that it plans to update its policies to address new and increasingly realistic advances in AI, according to the ruling.
The video on Facebook is a manipulated version of real footage of Biden exchanging “I voted” stickers with his granddaughter and kissing her on the cheek during the 2022 US midterm elections.
The board noted that non-AI modified content is “more prevalent and not necessarily less misleading” than content generated by AI tools.
It recommended that enforcement should involve applying labels to content, rather than Meta’s current approach of removing posts from the platform.
The company announced that it is reviewing the ruling and will respond publicly within 60 days.
Meta stock soared 15% in after-hours trading. The company’s strong fourth quarter results came a day after CEO Mark Zuckerberg was assaulted during a controversial Congressional hearing.
The company also announced that it would pay investors a dividend of 50 cents per share for the first time and authorized a $50 billion stock repurchase program.
Overall, Meta reported fourth-quarter revenue of $40.1 billion, beating expectations of $39.18 billion and increasing 25% year-over-year. The report comes as Meta, like many major technology companies, seeks to integrate artificial intelligence tools into its core products. In a statement accompanying the report, Zuckerberg said Meta was “a significant step forward in our vision of evolving AI and the Metaverse.”
“We anticipate that our ambitious long-term AI research and product development efforts will require increased infrastructure investment beyond this year,” the company’s press release said.
During last quarter’s earnings call, Zuckerberg touted Meta’s plans to invest in AI, saying it would be the company’s biggest investment area in 2024. Zuckerberg said in a video he shared on Instagram in early January that his company would acquire $9 billion worth of AI. Nvidia chips help scale up AI
Zuckerberg said AI will not only enhance ad campaigns and increase ad revenue, but AI will also be used to support new meta-products such as AI chatbots. Advertising revenue, the company’s core business, was $38.7 billion, compared with $31.25 billion in the same period last year. His Meta hardware products, such as the Quest 3 VR headset, still don’t account for a large percentage of the company’s revenue. Zuckerberg said on a conference call Thursday that he expects Meta to begin rolling out its AI services more broadly in the coming months.
Meta has laid off more than 20,000 employees in 2023 as it focuses on cost-cutting measures as part of what Zuckerberg has dubbed the “Year of Efficiency.” These efforts seem to have paid off, with Meta’s operating profit margin doubling from 20% in the same period of 2022 to 41%. Meanwhile, expenses decreased 8% year-on-year to $23.73 billion. Chief Financial Officer Susan Lee said on a conference call that Meta had more than 67,300 employees at the end of the fourth quarter, down 22% from a year ago, but that “hiring efforts have resumed. '', which resulted in a 2% increase from the third quarter.
Regulatory headwinds are probably top of mind for investors following Meta’s public taunts during Wednesday’s Congressional hearing. The hearing was convened to question Zuckerberg and other tech executives over the impact of their platforms on young users. The CEO expressed his condolences to the parents in the crowd who lost their children to online exploitation.
Throughout the hearing, lawmakers touted a bill that could strip Meta and other platforms of legal immunity for content posted on them, a move that would make Meta and other platforms illegal in 41 states over its impact on young users. It was enacted several months after a major lawsuit was filed by the attorney general. New Mexico’s attorney general also accused the company of failing to prevent child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
As a result of regulatory concerns, Meta has sought to diversify its core business, which has so far relied on advertising, which collects vast amounts of user data. Reality Labs, the division responsible for developing virtual reality products, faced a loss of $4.65 billion in the fourth quarter, up from $4.28 billion in the same period last year, bringing its total loss for 2023 to $16.1 billion. It reached $20 million. Meta said in a press release that it expects operating losses to “increase significantly year-over-year” as Reality Labs continues to expand its ecosystem.
In addition to regulatory concerns, Meta sees its platform’s user base tightening as young users in particular migrate to new platforms such as TikTok. The company said its platform is experiencing faster growth outside the United States. Insider information Principal Analyst Jasmine Enberg.
“On the usage side, Facebook continued to see a squeeze in user growth, but as expected, most of the new users came from outside of North America,” she said. “In the U.S., popularity among teenagers has become a liability in the eyes of lawmakers, which could hinder Facebook and Instagram’s efforts to grow in the country.”
Tesla is recalling more than 2 million vehicles in the United States over concerns about its advanced driver assistance system, Autopilot.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the system’s methods of determining whether drivers are paying attention may be inadequate and could lead to “foreseeable abuse of the system.”
NHTSA is investigating Elon Musk’s Over two years, the company has suffered a series of crashes, some fatal, that occurred while using the Autopilot system.
tesla He said Autopilot’s software system controls “may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse” and could increase the risk of a crash.
Tesla’s Autopilot is intended to allow the car to automatically steer, accelerate, and brake within the line, but while the enhanced Autopilot can assist with lane changes on the highway, self-driving It won’t be.
Use Chrome Browser for a more accessible video player
0:25
From August: Tesla car catches fire ‘spontaneously’ at scrapyard
One of the Autopilot components is Autosteer, which maintains a set speed or following distance and works to keep the vehicle within its lane of travel.
Tesla disagrees with NHTSA’s analysis, but notes that “additional controls and warnings already exist in affected vehicles to further encourage drivers to comply with ongoing driving responsibilities each time Autosteer engages.” “We will deploy an over-the-air software update that incorporates this.” “I’m engaged.”
The update says it includes increased prominence of visual alerts on the user interface, easier activation and deactivation of Autosteer, and additional checks when Autosteer is activated.
Tesla added that the update will eventually result in a driver’s use of Autosteer being suspended if the driver “repeatedly fails to demonstrate continued and sustained driving responsibility while the feature is activated.” .
read more: UK could be shut down ‘at any time’ due to cyber attack Amazon reveals the most asked questions for Alexa in 2023
The recall applies to models Y, S, 3, and X produced between October 5, 2012 and December 7 of this year.
The update was expected to be sent to some affected vehicles on Tuesday, with the remaining vehicles sent out later.
NHTSA will continue its investigation into Autopilot “to monitor the effectiveness of Tesla’s remedies,” the agency said.
Since 2016, regulators have investigated 35 Tesla crashes in which the vehicles were suspected of being driven on automated systems. At least 17 people were killed in the clashes.
It is unclear whether this recall affects Tesla vehicles in other countries, including the UK.
This is the second time this year Tesla recalls its vehicles In the United States.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
