Top 10 Tech News of the Week

1. France’s Digital Security Push

France is stepping up its efforts to create a safer online environment with a comprehensive plan comprising around twenty measures. This initiative is largely inspired by the new European digital regulations, specifically the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aim to curb the power of major platforms and protect consumers. A core component of this French plan is an anti-fraud filter. Given that one in two French citizens has reportedly faced attempted online scams via email or SMS, this filter would display pop-up warnings when users encounter malicious websites, emails, or SMS messages. A “blacklist” of dangerous sites, maintained by operators and updated through user reports under the watchful eye of the CNIL (the French data protection authority), is central to this system. A test version is slated for deployment in September, coinciding with the Rugby World Cup, ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games, which are anticipated to be a major target for scammers, especially concerning fake ticket sales. This proactive approach aims to safeguard users against a growing number of digital threats.

2. Tackling Online Hate and Harassment

Beyond fraud, the French plan also targets online hate speech with enhanced penalties. In addition to existing fines, a new measure proposes a “banishment” penalty for cyber-harassers and those engaging in harmful online activities. This banishment could block access to platforms for periods ranging from six months to a year for offenses such as spreading hateful content, violent images, child pornography, promoting terrorism, homophobia, transphobia, or Holocaust denial. While the intent is clear, challenges remain, particularly regarding enforcement. Platforms would be responsible for preventing banned individuals from creating new accounts, with potential fines of up to 75,000 euros for non-compliance. However, the ease with which email addresses or phone numbers can be bypassed, or IP addresses penalizing entire households, highlights the complexities of implementing such a broad measure effectively. Despite the critical questions about its practicality, this marks a strong governmental stance against online malicious behavior, empowering the Arcom (the French digital and telecom regulation authority) to act more swiftly against non-compliant platforms, especially those hosting accessible pornographic content for minors.

3. Google’s AI-Powered Ecosystem Expansion

Google has unveiled a new suite of AI-driven services, signaling a massive leap in its artificial intelligence strategy. Headlining these announcements is the evolution of Bard, Google’s AI-powered search engine. Bard will now leverage the next generation of its advanced language model, PaLM 2, which is segmented into four specialized variants: Gecko, Otter, Bison, and Unicorn (for the most advanced version). PaLM 2 promises exceptional performance, particularly in mathematics and medicine, potentially enabling it to interpret X-rays. Developers will benefit from features like debugging multiple lines of code and translating comments into various languages. The overarching strategy is to integrate Bard across Google’s entire ecosystem. This means capabilities like combining images with search queries via Google Search, analyzing and understanding images through Google Lens for integration into requests, and streamlining results export for Google Docs and Gmail. Future plans include integrating with Adobe Suite and extensions for travel sites or shopping apps, underscoring a commitment to hyper-connectivity and voice command recognition. This push follows a challenging initial presentation of Bard, but Google appears determined to make it a central pillar of its user experience.

4. Bard’s Global Rollout – With European Hurdles

While Google’s improved Bard is rolling out globally, its availability in Europe faces regulatory obstacles. A positive development is the removal of the waiting list for Bard, making it immediately accessible in 180 countries in English, Japanese, and Korean versions. However, France and other EU nations are notably absent from this initial rollout. The primary reason for this delay is likely the stringent European regulations that require Google to ensure full compliance before deploying its advanced AI services. The European Union has been at the forefront of regulating artificial intelligence to protect privacy, ensure data security, and prevent algorithmic biases. Until Google can fully meet these standards, European users will have to wait longer to access Bard in their respective languages, particularly French. This highlights the ongoing tension between rapid technological innovation and the need for robust regulatory frameworks in different regions.

5. Edible Batteries: A Revolution in Miniaturization?

Italian researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology, with support from the European Research Council, have made a groundbreaking discovery: a comestible battery. This minuscule, ingestible power source is assembled from everyday products designed to be harmless if swallowed. Key components include riboflavin (Vitamin B2) for the anode, quercetin (found in capers) for the cathode, seaweed as a separator, and beeswax encapsulating the structure, with a touch of gold leaf for electrical contacts. The potential applications are significant, particularly for miniaturized electronic medical devices that could be ingested, offering a less invasive alternative to surgical implants. Another crucial advantage is enhanced safety for children, as accidental ingestion of typical button batteries can be extremely dangerous. Currently a prototype, this edible battery produces a modest 0.65 volts (a safe level for humans) and can deliver 48 amps for about twelve minutes. While not yet powerful enough for widespread use, this innovation paves the way for future ingestible electronics, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in medical technology and safety.

6. The Rise of AI in French Public Services

Starting this September, a pioneering initiative will see 200 French “France Services” agents test an administrative chatbot, akin to a ChatGPT for public services. The primary goal is to enhance the efficiency of administrative processes by providing rapid responses to user queries. This AI-powered tool is designed to ease the burden on agents while ensuring citizens receive timely and accurate information. Data confidentiality is a critical concern, and the system is being developed with robust safeguards to protect user information. An initial assessment of the pilot program is scheduled for February 2024. The expectation is that this chatbot will significantly improve the user experience by making it easier to find administrative information, potentially reducing the need to navigate complex websites or wait for human assistance. It marks a significant step towards integrating artificial intelligence into public administration to streamline services and improve citizen engagement.

7. BlackBerry: A Canadian Tech Saga on Screen

A new film traces the remarkable rise and fall of BlackBerry, the iconic Canadian brand that once dominated the smartphone market. Released in Canada this week, the movie, titled simply “BlackBerry,” recounts the journey of Research In Motion (RIM), the company behind the revolutionary device. Emerging in 1984, RIM launched the BlackBerry in the late 90s, changing the landscape of mobile communication with its distinctive physical keyboard and innovative push-email functionality. At a time when PDAs like Palm ruled, and early mobile phones were purely for calls, BlackBerry offered a personal assistant and a phone in one. Its secure messaging, a hallmark feature that encrypted communications between devices, made it indispensable for business professionals, politicians, and financial magnates. The film captures the era’s tech boom, the pioneering spirit of RIM’s founders like Mike Lazaridis, and the competitive fervor. It delves into the cultural impact, where users developed a “CrackBerry” addiction, foreshadowing today’s smartphone dependency.

8. The iPhone’s Impact and BlackBerry’s Downfall

The film “BlackBerry” starkly portrays the existential crisis faced by RIM following Steve Jobs’s unveiling of the iPhone. With its full touchscreen and intuitive interface, the iPhone fundamentally challenged BlackBerry’s physical keyboard-centric design. While BlackBerry attempted to adapt, first by ditching the keyboard and then bringing it back due to user demand, these efforts were insufficient. The film highlights how the “will of the users” ultimately overpowered corporate strategies, as iPhone’s “cool factor” permeated within organizations and government agencies. This led to a gradual decline in BlackBerry’s market share, as institutions began to favor iPhones for their employees. The film, reminiscent of biographical tech dramas like “The Social Network,” is praised for its portrayal of the startup era and its exploration of entrepreneurial challenges, including the intense character of RIM’s co-CEO, Jim Balsillie. Although dramatized, the core story of innovation, market dominance, and eventual struggle against a new paradigm is accurately conveyed, offering insight into a pivotal moment in tech history.

9. TED Conference 2023: AI Domination and Futurism

The recent TED Conference in Vancouver was largely dominated by discussions on artificial intelligence, reflecting its current status as a transformative force. Speakers provided diverse perspectives, from the practical applications of AI to its ethical implications and potential dangers. Greg Brockman, co-founder of OpenAI, showcased the evolving capabilities of ChatGPT, emphasizing its potential to integrate with external services like restaurant booking apps, amplifying its power far beyond simple dialogue. This highlights AI’s growing ability to autonomously perform complex tasks. Another key presentation featured Tom Graham, who demonstrated the alarming real-time capabilities of “deepfake” technology, showcasing how AI can now instantly alter images and voices, posing significant challenges to information veracity. The conference also explored AI’s potential in interspecies communication, with Karen Baker revealing how AI could translate animal expressions (like dolphins) into human language and vice-versa, opening new frontiers in ecological understanding.

10. AI and Environmental Innovation: Ethical Dilemmas and Space Energy

Beyond its immediate applications, TED 2023 also delved into AI’s role in defense and the environment. One controversial but compelling argument presented was that halting AI development, despite ethical concerns, could leave countries at a disadvantage in future conflicts where AI will play a central role in military technology. This perspective underscores the complex geopolitical implications of AI advancement. On the environmental front, the conference revisited bold ideas like generating solar energy in space – essentially colossal solar farms orbiting Earth, transmitting electricity wirelessly back to the planet. While currently a long-term vision facing immense technical hurdles, it exemplifies the pursuit of radically disruptive solutions for climate change. Interestingly, recent news outside TED highlighted Microsoft’s surprising commitment to purchase fusion energy from a startup by 2028, a technology many experts don’t anticipate before 2050. This signals a growing willingness among major corporations to invest in high-risk, high-reward technologies in the pursuit of sustainable energy, suggesting a shift in what’s considered credible and fundable innovation.