Tag: European Commission

Europe within reach of landmark AI rules after nod from EU countries
3Feb By adminNo Comments
Technology

Europe within reach of landmark AI rules after nod from EU countries

[ad_1] Europe on Friday moved a step closer to adopting rules governing the use of artificial intelligence and AI models such as Microsoft-backed ChatGPT after EU countries endorsed a political deal reached in December.The rules, proposed by the European Commission three years ago, aim to set a global standard for a technology used in a vast swathe of industries from banking and retail to the car and airline sectors. They also set parameters for the use of AI for military, crime and security purposes. EU industry chief Thierry Breton said the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act is historical and a world first."Today member states endorsed the political agreement reached in December, recognising the perfect balance found by the negotiators between innovation and safety," he said in a statem...
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Adobe and Figma Terminate $20 Billion Deal After Clash With European, UK Regulators
18Dec By adminNo Comments
Technology

Adobe and Figma Terminate $20 Billion Deal After Clash With European, UK Regulators

[ad_1] Adobe Inc. walked away from its $20 billion acquisition of startup Figma Inc. after clashing with regulators in Europe and the UK. Adobe will pay Figma a $1 billion termination fee, the companies said in a statement on Monday. They saw “no clear path” to getting regulatory approvals from the European Commission and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.  Adobe, the dominant force for years in such creative software as Photoshop and Illustrator, announced the purchase of Figma in September 2022.  The acquisition, which would have been one of the largest takeovers ever of a private software maker, was a massive bet that more creative work will be done on the web, a market that Figma has rapidly seized. While Adobe has introduced less-expensive, streamlined products for that au...
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Meta, TikTok challenge incoming EU digital market law
18Nov By adminNo Comments
Technology

Meta, TikTok challenge incoming EU digital market law

[ad_1] Tech giants Meta and TikTok are contesting the scope of an EU law that from March will set new rules on competition in the digital marketplace.The European Commission has designated 22 big online companies as "core platform services" to be subject to additional scrutiny and obligations under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) aiming to crack down on anti-competitive practices. The list includes familiar brands ranging from social networks Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, to so-called "intermediation" apps such as Google Maps, Amazon Marketplace and Apple's AppStore, to operating systems iOS, Android and Windows and Google Search. Six tech titans behind the platforms -- US groups Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft, and Chinese group ByteDance -- have been labelled "gatekeepers"...
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EU adds Meta, Snap to online child protection probes
12Nov By adminNo Comments
Technology

EU adds Meta, Snap to online child protection probes

[ad_1] The EU added Meta and Snap to a growing list of tech companies it is probing to see how they are complying with a new law meant to stop illegal content online. The European Commission said it has sent formal requests for information to Meta, parent of Facebook and Instagram, and Snap, which runs the Snapchat image and messaging app, on what measures they have taken to protect minors online. They have until December 1 to reply.The probes are only an initial stage under the EU's Digital Services Act, which came into force in August, and do not themselves constitute an indication of legal violations or a move towards punishing the companies. We are now on WhatsApp. Click to join. On Thursday, the commission opened similar probes into YouTube and TikTok, also to see what measures the...
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AI summit a start but global agreement a distant hope
4Nov By adminNo Comments
Technology

AI summit a start but global agreement a distant hope

[ad_1] British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak championed a series of landmark agreements after hosting the first artificial intelligence (AI) safety summit but a global plan for overseeing the technology remains a long way off.Over two days of talks between world leaders, business executives and researchers, tech CEOs such as Elon Musk and OpenAI's Sam Altman rubbed shoulders with the likes of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen to discuss the future regulation of AI. We are now on WhatsApp. Click to join. Leaders from 28 nations – including China – signed the Bletchley Declaration, a joint statement acknowledging the technology's risks; the U.S. and Britain both announced plans to launch their own AI safety institutes; and two more summits w...
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Nokia Sues Amazon From US to India Over Streaming-Tech Patents
1Nov By adminNo Comments
Technology

Nokia Sues Amazon From US to India Over Streaming-Tech Patents

[ad_1] Nokia Oyj sued Amazon.com Inc. in courts across three continents, alleging the e-commerce giant uses its technologies in streaming services and devices without authorization.The suits were filed in the US, Germany, India, the UK, and the European Unified Patent Court, Arvin Patel, Nokia's Chief Licensing Officer said in a statement on the company's website. Separately, a suit was also filed against HP Inc. in the US over video-related technologies, he said. “We've been in discussions with each of Amazon and HP for a number of years, but sometimes litigation is the only way to respond to companies who choose not to play by the rules followed and respected by others,” said Patel. Companies providing video streaming services or streaming devices enjoy “huge benefits” from Nokia's re...
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5 things about AI you may have missed today: Freedom House on AI, Vincent van Gogh AI, fake AI ad, and more
2Oct By adminNo Comments
Technology

5 things about AI you may have missed today: Freedom House on AI, Vincent van Gogh AI, fake AI ad, and more

[ad_1] Freedom on the Net report flags risks associated with AI; Tom Hanks cautions against AI fake in dental plan ad; EU antitrust regulators confirm no formal probe into AI chips; Spotify CEO Daniel Ek cautions against rapidly outdated AI regulation laws- this and more in our daily roundup. Let us take a look.1. Freedom on the Net reportA new report from Freedom House, titled "Freedom on the Net 2023: The Repressive Power of Artificial Intelligence," highlights the decline in internet freedom worldwide, driven by AI advancements. Governments use automated systems for increased online censorship, and disinformation distributors employ AI to create fake content. In 22 countries, legal frameworks mandate digital platforms to use AI for removing dissenting speech. The report urges democra...
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Microsoft Facing Formal EU Complaint Over Teams Video App
19Sep By adminNo Comments
Technology

Microsoft Facing Formal EU Complaint Over Teams Video App

[ad_1] Microsoft Corp.'s attempt at avoiding deeper European Union scrutiny of its Teams video-conferencing app fell flat with the bloc's antitrust enforcers readying a formal complaint against the firm's conduct.Microsoft's recent proposal to split its Teams from a broader business software package and sell it to customers separately with an annual discount wasn't enough to satisfy regulators' concerns, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The European Commission is preparing a statement of objections to send to the company, which could come in the next few months, the people said. At the end of August, Microsoft attempted to allay concerns raised by the EU's antitrust arm as part of a new investigation into how it ties Teams to its Office ...
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Dominance, data, disinformation: Europe’s fight with Big Tech
28Jul By adminNo Comments
Technology

Dominance, data, disinformation: Europe’s fight with Big Tech

[ad_1] The European Commission, which announced Thursday an inquiry into Microsoft's promotion of its Teams messaging app, has fought US tech giants on fronts from tax avoidance, disinformation and hate speech to data privacy and monopolistic practices.Here is a summary of the tussles between Silicon Valley and Brussels. - Stifling competition -The European Commission on Thursday said it would investigate whether Microsoft was "abusing and defending its market position" by bundling its Teams app with its Office suite. It comes a month after the commission recommended that Google sell off part of its business following a two-year probe into its dominance of online advertising.If Google fails to comply it could face a fine of up to 10 percent of its global revenue under the 2022 Digital M...
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Zuckerberg, Altman Offer support for EU regulation of AI
25Jun By adminNo Comments
Technology

Zuckerberg, Altman Offer support for EU regulation of AI

[ad_1] Technology company executives Mark Zuckerberg and Sam Altman expressed support for government oversight of artificial intelligence after discussions with European Commission Thierry Breton.The commissioner said Friday that he and Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., were “aligned” on the EU's regulation of artificial intelligence, which is now in final negotiations. They agreed on the bloc's risk-based approach and to measures like watermarking, Breton said. Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said he, too, agrees with the EU approach on AI, adding “I really appreciate the European institution here, and the foresight on taking this issue so seriously, for the rest of the world, too.” “We look forward to working with you to be running well in advance and offering a Europ...
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