All Technology
First LookGeorgia leads toward a nuclear future with its first operating reactorGeorgia Power Co. announced one of its two new reactors reached self-sustaining nuclear fission on Monday. The announcement is a key step toward reaching commercial operation of nuclear energy in the United States.聽
First LookCellphone at 50: Its inventor reflects on mobile advances and risksCellphone inventor Martin Cooper, who placed the first mobile call on April 3, 1973, remains hopeful the technology can transform lives, but he鈥檚 also concerned about its impact. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have any privacy anymore,鈥澛燤r. Cooper said at a trade show in Spain.
First LookWhat links toothbrushes and weapons systems? A $52 billion investment.The U.S. government has reached a rare bipartisan agreement to invest $52 billion to develop advanced computer chips. Factories, autos, appliances, electronics, toys, toothbrushes, and weapons systems all depend on semiconductors.
First LookInternet speech: Supreme Court to weigh who is protected onlineTwo cases before the U.S. Supreme Court this week challenge聽Section 230, a 1996 law that protects tech companies from liability for material posted on their networks. The cases are part of a global trend toward holding social media platforms accountable.
First Look鈥楾remendous potential鈥�: Why some disability advocates laud ChatGPTChatGPT has spurred lively conversations about the role of educational technology. While some colleges and universities are cracking down on ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot, other educators believe ChatGPT could help with assisted learning.聽
The Explainer鈥楥hatGPT, tell me a story鈥�: AI gets literaryArtificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT can now produce convincingly human-sounding essays with minimal effort from users. It鈥檚 a massive timesaver 鈥� and an ethical quandary.
First LookHow can tech fight misinformation? Google tries 鈥榩rebunking.鈥�Google is fighting misinformation with 鈥減rebunking鈥� videos that show how to recognize false online claims. Not only are they easy to produce they also have the potential to reach millions of social media users without focusing on controversial issues.聽
First LookFacebook restores Trump's account, two years after Jan. 6Facebook announced that it will be restoring former President Donald Trump鈥檚 personal account in the upcoming weeks. This marks the end of a two-year suspension that was implemented following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
First LookSocial media giants face lawsuits over teen mental health concernsThe Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments next month on whether federal law protects the harmful content the tech industry pushes out through social media. Public entities seek to hold them accountable for the mental health crisis among youth.
First LookSilicon Valley wanes as Google, Amazon, Meta face layoffsGoogle terminated 12,000 positions by email Friday, in the wake of other large-scale layoffs at Amazon and Meta. The Silicon Valley giant is undergoing waves of hiring freezes and layoffs as the tech industry navigates a rapidly changing economic landscape.
First LookNo more TikTok? More US states ban video app over safety concerns.At least 24 U.S. states have banned TikTok from being downloaded on state-owned devices. Security concerns are rising that聽ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns the app, can access user data such as browsing history and locations.聽
First LookEver wanted a talking dog? New products may be close enough.Robotic dogs, moving pillows, and AI-powered strollers 鈥� all these inventions were displayed this week at CES, the Consumer Electronics Show. The Las Vegas event showed innovation from startups and big tech alike.聽
First LookShould Musk step down as Twitter chief? Users say yes.Twitter CEO Elon Musk posted the results of a Twitter poll and of the 17.5 million users who responded, a majority said he should step down. Mr. Musk has been using controversial, unscientific polls to shape policies and chart the future of the company.
First LookJournalists critical of Musk kicked off Twitter for 'doxxing' his jetTwitter suspended the accounts of several journalists who had written about owner Elon Musk and an account that tracked the location of his private jet. Mr. Musk says sharing his personal whereabouts constitutes doxxing and violates the platform鈥檚 rules.
First LookWhy Musk dissolved Twitter's internal human rights councilTwitter鈥檚 Trust and Safety Council, a group of human and civil rights advisers formed in 2016, was disbanded by email from Elon Musk before a scheduled meeting. The email said Twitter was 鈥渞eevaluating how best to bring external insights.鈥澛�
First LookWill Twitter remain a useful disaster planning tool under Musk?Twitter is a valuable tool for disaster response worldwide, though its function could be at risk if new policies from Elon Musk lead to service delays, or even crashes. Humanitarian aid activists worldwide seek to reduce their dependence on the platform.
First LookIn Asia, citizen groups fill fact-checking gap left by Big TechInitiatives across Asia are tackling misinformation using on-the-ground training and civil society engagement to cater to the needs of communities. They are filling a fact-checking gap left by tech giants who lack expertise in local languages and context.
First LookRIPTwitter? Mass worker exodus follows Musk ultimatum.Twitter engineers are leaving the company in droves after Elon Musk asked them in an email to either commit to 鈥渉ardcore鈥� work or resign. Doubts over the company鈥檚 future persist after Mr. Musk fired half of the company鈥檚 staff during his chaotic takeover.
First LookMeta lays off 11,000 employees in desperate cost-cutting measureAs economic downturn leads to desperate cost-cutting measures at Meta, Mark Zuckerberg has made major layoffs. The Facebook parent company has struggled to keep profits up amid pressure from regulations and competitors like TikTok.
First Look'Chief Twit': Will toxic Twitter discourse change under Musk?Twitter has never been known for civil discourse. But as Elon Musk rearranges its structure at breakneck speed, experts are calling attention to the platform鈥檚 legacy.