Search results for "big tech"

France Looks to AI-Powered Surveillance to Secure Olympics

France’s National Assembly on Thursday approved the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) video surveillance during the 2024 Paris Olympics, overlooking warnings from civil rights groups that the technology posed a threat to civil liberties. The government says algorithmic video surveillance can detect “pre-determined events”, abnormal behaviour and crowd surges, helping ensure the safety of millions […]

Chinese Lithium Price Dives in Heated Auto Price War

China’s lithium prices are plunging faster than expected this year, down 34% in the last four weeks alone, hit by a slump in demand for electric vehicles in the world’s biggest market that has left stocks of the metal piling up. Spot lithium carbonate prices assessed by Fastmarkets fell to 260,000 yuan ($38,079.06) per tonne […]

EU Leaders Set to Back Steps to Compete with US, China

European Union leaders are expected on Thursday to back a revamp of the single market, simplified regulations and other steps to ensure the bloc can compete with the United States and China as an industrial leader in green and digital technologies. High energy prices and U.S. President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which offers $369 […]

Analysis - What’s Behind Bitcoin’s Latest Surge?

At the turn of the year, bitcoin was in the grip of a bleak midwinter, down and out after a 2022 defined by tumbling crypto prices, bankruptcies and corporate scandals. Less than three months later, bitcoin’s got its mojo back. With gains of more than 70% so far this year, it has outpaced other major […]

Explainer - What Are e-Fuels, and Can They Help Make Cars CO2-Free?

Germany has declared last-minute opposition to a landmark European Union law to end sales of CO2-emitting cars in 2035, demanding that sales be allowed of new cars with internal combustion engines after that date if they run on e-fuels. The EU rules would require all new cars sold from 2035 to have zero CO2 emissions, […]

Australia Could Reap $11.3 Billion from Battery Sector by 2030 - Accenture

Australia’s revenue potential from developing a battery industry has doubled to A$16.9 billion ($11.28 billion) by 2030 in less than two years, highlighting the speed of the sector’s expansion and the need to act quickly, an Accenture report showed on Wednesday. Australia’s battery industry is poised to become a global leader given the country’s mineral […]

China Gives Chipmakers Easier Subsidy Access to Help Guide Industry Recovery - FT

China is facilitating easier access to subsidies and more control over state-backed research for a handful of its chip companies, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. Chipmakers such as Semiconductor Manufacturing International (SMIC), Hua Hong Semiconductor and Huawei, as well as equipment suppliers like Naura and Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc China might benefit from the […]

Scratched EV Battery? Your Insurer May Have to Junk the Whole Car

For many electric vehicles, there is no way to repair or assess even slightly damaged battery packs after accidents, forcing insurance companies to write off cars with few miles – leading to higher premiums and undercutting gains from going electric. And now those battery packs are piling up in scrapyards in some countries, a previously […]

U.S. Supreme Court Asked to Decide if AI Can Be a Patent 'inventor'

A computer scientist who has waged a global campaign for patents covering inventions conceived by his artificial intelligence system asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to hear his case. Stephen Thaler petitioned the high court to review an appeals court’s decision that patents can only be issued to human inventors and that his AI […]

Could Chatbots Replace HR?

Human Resources. They must uphold company policy to create a pleasant and productive work environment. Frequently, especially in big corporations, HR has its hands full. But what if there was a chatbot to lend a helping hand? But NOT with hiring people. We all saw how that went, and suffice it to say, YIKES! With […]