CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts — Facebook parent Meta Platforms has unveiled a new set of artificial intelligence systems that are powering what CEO Mark Zuckerberg calls “the most intelligent AI assistant that you can freely use.” But as Zuckerberg’s crew of amped-up Meta AI agents started venturing into social media in recent days …
your ad hereDevelopers: Enhanced AI could outthink humans in 2 to 5 years
vancouver, british columbia — Just as the world is getting used to the rapidly expanding use of AI, or artificial intelligence, AGI is looming on the horizon. Experts say when artificial general intelligence becomes reality, it could perform tasks better than human beings, with the possibility of higher cognitive abilities, emotions, …
your ad hereChinese-linked e-commerce companies shake up market
The Chinese-operated online markets Temu and Shein are shaking up e-commerce with their extremely low prices. But the firms are facing concerns from consumers and Congress. Evie Steele has the story from Washington. …
your ad hereChinese linked e-commerce companies shake up US market
China slaps anti-dumping levy on import of a US chemical amid rising trade tensions
Google fires 28 workers protesting contract with Israel
New York — Google fired 28 employees following a disruptive sit-down protest over the tech giant’s contract with the Israeli government, a Google spokesperson said Thursday. The Tuesday demonstration was organized by the group “No Tech for Apartheid,” which has long opposed “Project Nimbus,” Google’s joint $1.2 billion contract with Amazon …
your ad hereNew TikTok Lite app raises concerns in EU
Biden seeks higher tariffs on Chinese steel as he courts union voters
SCRANTON, Pa. — President Joe Biden is calling for a tripling of tariffs on steel from China to protect American producers from a flood of cheap imports, an announcement he planned to roll out Wednesday in an address to steelworkers in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. The move reflects the intersection …
your ad hereZimbabwe’s new gold-backed currency sliding on black market
Harare, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s recently introduced gold-backed currency is sliding on the local black market but officials insist the currency is getting stronger and has a bright future. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare. Even songs are played on the radio encouraging citizens to embrace the currency, called Zimbabwe Gold — or …
your ad hereUS Commerce Dept. grants Samsung $6.4 billion for Texas chip plants
AI-generated fashion models could bring more diversity to industry — or leave it with less
Chicago, Illinois — London-based model Alexsandrah has a twin, but not in the way you’d expect: Her counterpart is made of pixels instead of flesh and blood. The virtual twin was generated by artificial intelligence and has already appeared as a stand-in for the real-life Alexsandrah in a photo shoot. Alexsandrah, …
your ad hereInstagram blurring nudity in messages to protect teens, fight sexual extortion
LONDON — Instagram says it’s deploying new tools to protect young people and combat sexual extortion, including a feature that will automatically blur nudity in direct messages. The social media platform said in a blog post Thursday that it’s testing out the features as part of its campaign to fight sexual …
your ad hereSwarms of drones can be managed by a single person
The U.S. military says large groups of drones and ground robots can be managed by just one person without added stress to the operator. As VOA’s Julie Taboh reports, the technologies may be beneficial for civilian uses, too. VOA footage by Adam Greenbaum. …
your ad hereIndiana aspires to become next great tech center
indianapolis, indiana — Semiconductors, or microchips, are critical to almost everything electronic used in the modern world. In 1990, the United States produced about 40% of the world’s semiconductors. As manufacturing migrated to Asia, U.S. production fell to about 12%. “During COVID, we got a wake-up call. It was like …
your ad hereIndiana aspires to become next great tech hub
The Midwestern state of Indiana aspires to become the next great technology center as the United States ramps up investment in domestic microchip development and manufacturing. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh has more from Indianapolis. Videographer: Kane Farabaugh, Adam Greenbaum …
your ad hereAngolan fishermen blame Chinese trawlers for declining fish stock
In the port of Benguela on Angola’s Pacific coast, fishermen and fish traders are struggling to make ends meet. They say their catch is getting smaller and they blame illegal fishing by Chinese trawlers. For Joao Marcos, Barbara Santos has this report. (Mayra de Lassalette contributed) …
your ad hereUkrainian civilians help build up their country’s drone fleet
Inexpensive first-person view – or radio controlled – drones have become a powerful weapon in Ukraine’s war against Russian invaders. As the country presses the West for more military aid, many Ukrainian civilians are stepping in to help by making homemade attack drones. Lesia Bakalets has the story from Kyiv. …
your ad hereBiden administration imposes first-ever national drinking water limits on toxic PFAS
Activists urge Nigeria to refuse Shell’s oil selloff plans
London — Environmental and human rights activists are calling on the Nigerian government to withhold approval of plans by the London-based oil giant Shell to sell off its operations in the Niger Delta, unless the oil giant does more to tackle pollution in the region caused by the industry. For decades, …
your ad hereChina’s credit rating outlook downgraded
Taliban’s plans to curtail access to Facebook in Afghanistan alarm critics
Content creation holds appeal for laid-off workers seeking flexibility
With $6.6B to Arizona hub, Biden touts big steps in US chipmaking
President Joe Biden on Monday announced a $6.6 billion grant to Taiwan’s top chip manufacturer for semiconductor manufacturing in Arizona, which includes a third facility that will bring the tech giant’s investment in the state to $65 billion. VOA’s White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington, with reporter Levi …
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