Pollinger’s Productivity : Jan 2025

Facebook to Launch AI Personas? Meta is considering introducing AI-generated personas on Facebook. These digital characters, powered by advanced AI, could interact with users in various ways, from answering questions to role-playing scenarios. “We expect these AIs to actually, over time, exist on our platforms, kind of in the same way that accounts do. They’ll…

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Apple to pay $95m To Settle Siri ‘Listening’ Lawsuit

Apple has agreed to pay $95m (£77m) to settle a lawsuit claiming its Siri virtual assistant recorded users without their consent and shared voice data with advertisers. The class action, filed in Northern California, accused Apple of eavesdropping through unintentional Siri activations, collecting sensitive voice recordings without permission. Claimants alleged these recordings were then used…

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Net Neutrality (and TikTok) Bans Likely Lifted

Recent developments in US tech policy have halted the return of net neutrality rules and put the looming TikTok ban on pause, thereby raising significant questions about internet governance, corporate power, and digital rights. What Is Net Neutrality? Net neutrality, the principle that internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all data equally, ensures that ISPs…

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Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell Satellite Connectivity

Kyivstar (Ukraine’s largest telecom operator) has announced an agreement with Starlink (a division of Elon Musk’s SpaceX) to introduce direct-to-cell satellite connectivity to the whole country. Attacks On Communications Infrastructure By Russia The partnership promises to be a significant technological advancement for Ukraine’s connectivity infrastructure that could revolutionise the way Ukrainians stay connected, particularly in…

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Microsoft’s Bundling Bungling?

Following a recent Wall Street Journal article highlighting how Microsoft has made Copilot part of its 365 subscription service in several markets and raised prices, we now look at Microsoft’s strategies for deploying its AI assistant, and the broader implications of its AI initiatives. Microsoft’s AI Expansion Through Copilot As the recent Wall Street Journal…

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Google Proposes Antitrust Remedies

Google has filed a set of proposed remedies in its high-profile antitrust case concerning its dominance in the online search market, a case that has drawn significant scrutiny from regulators and competitors alike. Background to the Antitrust Case The case centres on allegations brought by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and a coalition of…

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Tech Trends for 2025

ChatGPT Updates

As 2024 draws to a close, here we explore 15 key technological trends expected to shape 2025, highlighting innovations likely to influence business operations and strategies. Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) ‘Agentic’ AI refers to a new wave of AI systems that can autonomously plan and execute tasks based on user-defined objectives. Unlike traditional AI systems…

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AGI For Christmas?

In this tech insight, we look at whether AI models are nearing true general intelligence and what the arguments around this subject are and its relevance to society, innovation, and the future of technology development. What Is AGI? Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is the theoretical development of AI systems capable of performing any intellectual task…

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Apple Introduces ChatGPT Integration Across Devices

Apple has launched the integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its devices, delivering on its long-promised expansion into artificial intelligence. The update, part of iOS 18.2 and Apple’s broader “Apple Intelligence” initiative, allows Siri to leverage ChatGPT for tasks like generating written content, analysing documents, and answering complex queries. New tools, including Writing Tools and Visual…

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Court Orders Restoration Of WordPress.org Access

A California district court has ruled that Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, along with its CEO, Matt Mullenweg, must immediately restore WP Engine’s access to WordPress.org. Follows Power Struggles in WordPress Community This decision follows a heated legal battle that has pitted two prominent players in the WordPress ecosystem against each other, raising critical…

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