OpenAI is enhancing its AI bot, ChatGPT, by integrating a real-time search feature, challenging Google's dominance as a search engine. This new tool, currently available to a limited number of US users, will allow ChatGPT to provide up-to-date information and links in response to user queries. This feature could potentially revolutionize the way we search…
Global News
Microsoft is being scrutinized by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over whether its hiring of key employees from AI start-up Inflection AI effectively constitutes a merger. Key staff, including co-founder Mustafa Suleyman and chief scientist KarĂ©n Simonyan, left Inflection AI in March to join Microsoft's new AI division. The CMA's investigation will determine…
To gauge interest in the Vision Pro, Apple's new high-tech VR headset launched in the UK and Europe, I visited a central London Apple Store. Unlike past product launches, only a tiny group awaited its release, suggesting the VR headset market remains niche. Apple, a brand known for its innovation and quality, aims to make…
EdTech startups, bolstered by venture funding, are revolutionizing education in Africa by leveraging digital platforms to make learning more accessible. This innovation is crucial as the African job market evolves. At the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference in Abuja, the central discussion was preparing students for future jobs, emphasizing the importance of aligning education with industry…
Governments have long sought to automate services and advice through chatbots. Early chatbots were limited, but the recent advancements in generative AI have reignited the vision of more efficient public services. With human-like advisors available 24/7, these AI systems could handle inquiries about benefits, taxes, and more, offering sophisticated, human-like responses if trained on quality…
Google's latest environmental report reveals a 48% surge in greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 compared to 2019. This data underscores the pressing need to tackle the energy demands of its data centres, especially in the face of the burgeoning AI landscape. The tech giant has set a challenging target of achieving net zero emissions by…
Instagram ad-free subscription violation, The European Commission has announced that Meta's "pay or consent" advertising model on Instagram violates the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Under this model, users in the EU must either agree to receive personalized ads or pay €12.99 (£11) per month to opt out. The Commission's preliminary view is that this binary…
Webtoon Entertainment, the world's largest webcomic platform, has announced its market value at $2.67bn (£2.11bn) ahead of its US listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The company's shares are set to start trading on 27 June at $21 each, the top end of their marketed range. Owned by South Korean tech giant Naver, Webtoon has…
Paystack, a leading Nigerian fintech company, has extended its Virtual Terminal service to CĂ´te d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. This move is a significant step in enhancing in-person payment processes across the continent. The Virtual Terminal enables merchants to create unique QR codes for employees like cashiers and sales agents. Customers can scan these…
In a momentous alliance, the Space Exploration & Research Agency (SERA) and Nigeria's National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have united to pioneer the first Nigerian citizen's journey into space. This landmark partnership marks a significant stride in Nigeria's space exploration endeavours. It opens up new horizons for scientific research and technological advancements. SERA,…