These are the articles, videos and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team in the past 24 hours.
- Big Tech is going to take arse-kissing to new heights: Following Donald Trump’s re-election in the US, Big Tech leaders, including Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai, publicly congratulated him, signalling alignment with his administration. Trump’s victory has created a scramble for favour among tech giants, with CEOs emphasising support despite past tensions. This dynamic marks a shift as tech figures prioritise access to government contracts and influence under Trump’s leadership. Read more on Gizmodo. DM
- Trump plans to dismantle Biden AI safeguards after victory: Following his re-election, US President-elect Donald Trump plans to dismantle Joe Biden’s 2023 AI Executive Order, eliminating oversight from the US AI Safety Institute and easing AI reporting requirements. Critics argue Biden’s policies stifle innovation, while Trump’s team sees deregulation as boosting tech growth. Trump also proposes tariffs on GPU imports, which may impact AI development by restricting access to critical hardware. Read more on Ars Technica. DM
- Why coffee could be good for your health: Caffeine is the most popular psychoactive drug in the world. In the past, however, it was associated with increased health risks. New research suggests caffeine may actually be beneficial to good health. Read more on BBC News. NN
- Nearly three years since launch, Webb is a hit among astronomers: From its halo-like orbit nearly 1.6 million kilometres from Earth, the James Webb Space Telescope is seeing further than human eyes have ever seen. Read more on Ars Technica. TS
- TikTok Canada unit ordered to dissolve operations on national security concerns: Canada has taken steps similar to neighbouring US by ordering the Canadian unit of ByteDance-owned social media app TikTok to wind up its operations. Canadian citizens can still use the app if they choose to, though. Read more in the The Wall Street Journal (hard paywall). NN
- Scientists glue two proteins together, driving cancer cells to self-destruct: Stanford researchers hope new technique will flip lymphoma protein’s normal action — from preventing cell death to triggering it. Discover more on how scientists are doing this on Stanford Medicine. TS
- Google accidentally leaked a preview of its Jarvis AI that can take over computers: Jarvis is real. Google’s new AI prototype accidentally found its way to the public through the Chrome Web Store. This isn’t just some AI helper that can tell you the weather or remind you about doctor appointments. The store page describes the Jarvis prototype as “a helpful companion that surfs the web for you” through web browsers to take care of common tasks such as buying groceries, booking flights and research topics. More on Engadget. TS
- What a Trump victory means for tech: The US election came and went with far less drama than anticipated. Donald Trump is the 47th president of the US and it is time to look at the next four years and what Trump’s presidency means for the tech sector. Read more in the The New York Times (soft paywall). NN
Top stories on TechCentral in the past 24 hours:
- Nasdaq hits record as Big Tech soars on Trump victory
- China is better prepared for Trump 2.0
- FNB launches real-time cross-border payments
- PayShap payment limit raised to R50 000
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