Microsoft to invest $3.2 bn in AI in Sweden

Microsoft to invest $3.2 bn in AI in Sweden

Microsoft said Monday it would invest 33.7 billion kronor ($3.2 billion) over two years in cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Sweden, the US company said in a statement. The group will train 250,000 people by 2027 to boost AI knowledge and competence and also increase capacity at its three data centres in the country, the statement said, adding that the investment was Microsoft's biggest ever in Sweden. […]

June 3, 2024 37

Science & Technology

Opera Mini launches Locked Mode for PIN-protected browsing

Global browser innovator Opera today announced a significant privacy enhancement to Opera Mini with the introduction of Locked Mode, which enables PIN-protected browsing to further boost privacy protections. The move addresses the needs of 94%* of mobile users who have requested increased password protection features, particularly when sharing devices with family or friends. The new Locked Mode allows users to set a PIN that is independent from […]

May 30, 2024 31

Africa

Democracy in Africa: digital voting technology and social media can be a force for good – and bad

Electoral agents test a voting machine ahead of the DRC’s 2023 elections. Patrick Meinhardt/AFP via Getty Images) By Maxwell Maseko, University of the Witwatersrand It’s a bumper year for elections on the continent: by the end of 2024, 20 countries ought to have gone to the polls to vote in national elections. A handful of others are also scheduled to conduct local-level elections. As is the case elsewhere […]

May 29, 2024 19

Science & Technology

Hate speech and disinformation in South Africa’s elections: big tech make it tough to monitor social media

By Guy Berger, Rhodes University There’s a growing global movement to ensure that researchers can get access to the huge quantity of data assembled and exploited by digital operators. Momentum is mounting because it’s becoming increasingly evident that data is power. And access to it is the key – for a host of reasons, not least transparency, human rights and electoral integrity. But there’s currently […]

May 28, 2024 16

Science & Technology

ChatGPT’s use of a soundalike Scarlett Johansson reflects a troubling history of gender-stereotyping in technology

Scarlett Johansson, shown here in a 2012 photo receiving her star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, did not grant OpenAI permission to use her voice. (Shutterstock) By Alex Borkowski, York University, Canada Actress Scarlett Johansson released a statement this week expressing anger and concern that OpenAI used a voice “eerily similar” to her own as a default voice for ChatGPT. The voice in question, called Sky, has […]

May 24, 2024 16

Science & Technology

TikTok law threatening a ban if the app isn’t sold raises First Amendment concerns

TikTok users worry about losing their social media platform, but First Amendment rights are on the line, too. AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey By Anupam Chander, Georgetown University and Gautam Hans, Cornell University TikTok, the short-video company with Chinese roots, did the most American thing possible on May 7, 2024: It sued the U.S. government, in the person of Attorney General Merrick Garland, in federal court. The suit claims […]

May 22, 2024 17

Namibia

The role of regulatory investigations in the ICT industry

As Namibia joins the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry starts to have a significant impact on the country’s economy, promoting equality of opportunity, industrial development, economic growth, and poverty eradication. The Namibian government has put laws in place to encourage the growth of ICT due to its importance to economic development. Through the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN), the Ministry […]

May 22, 2024 19

Africa

Will training AI to be more “African” undermine our literary ownership?

By Seth Onyango, bird story agency Recent pushback by Singaporean writers against state efforts to use their work for AI training, has cast the spotlight on a similar conundrum in Africa. As efforts to imbue Large Language Models (LLMs) with a deeper understanding of African perspectives and narratives gain traction, the African literary community stands at a crossroads. Will they protect their intellectual property like […]

May 20, 2024 37

Africa

TikTok in Kenya: the government wants to restrict it, but my study shows it can be useful and empowering

By Stephen Mutie, Kenyatta University Every day, 750 million people around the world engage with Tiktok – the short-video sharing app. Kenyans are among its top users. According to a Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2023, 54% of Kenyans sampled used TikTok for general purposes, the highest proportion among the countries in the survey. They also use TikTok to express themselves and connect with others. The app, […]

May 17, 2024 24