GM Halts Cruise Robotaxi Operations

This Week's Tech Highlights

Welcome to this week’s review of significant developments in the technology sector. We’ll be covering General Motors’ strategic shift away from robotaxis, intriguing suggestions from Google regarding the possibility of multiple universes, and a unique opportunity to earn substantial rewards by engaging with AI in a novel way. Let’s delve into the details.

General Motors has decided to cease funding for the development of its commercial robotaxi program. Instead, Cruise, its autonomous vehicle subsidiary, will be integrated into GM’s existing operations focused on advanced driver-assistance systems and, ultimately, fully self-driving personal vehicles. Reports indicate that many Cruise personnel were taken by surprise by this decision. GM initially acquired Cruise in 2016 for $1 billion, and has subsequently invested over $10 billion in its endeavors.

OpenAI has now made available the real-time video processing capabilities for ChatGPT, initially showcased almost seven months ago. Subscribers to ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro can utilize the application to analyze objects captured by their phone’s camera, receiving responses in near real-time. The feature also supports understanding content displayed on a device’s screen through screen sharing functionality. Further announcements are anticipated as part of the ongoing “12 Days of OpenAI” event, so be sure to follow our live blog for updates.

Google this week introduced Project Mariner, its first AI agent capable of performing actions on the web. Powered by the Gemini model, this agent controls a user’s Chrome browser, manipulating the cursor, clicking buttons, and completing forms – effectively navigating websites in a manner similar to a human user. While currently a prototype developed by its DeepMind division, it signifies Google’s intention to transition users away from direct interaction with websites.

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Tech News Roundup

Duolingo and “Squid Game” collaborate: In anticipation of the new season of “Squid Game,” Netflix has partnered with Duolingo to assist viewers in learning the Korean language. A special TikTok filter inspired by the show’s Red Light, Green Light game has also been released. Read more

Google hints at the multiverse: Google unveiled Willow, its latest quantum computing chip. The announcement included a suggestion that the chip’s processing speed is so advanced it may be drawing computational resources from alternate universes. Read more

2024’s top Google searches: Google has published its annual list of the most popular search trends for 2024, featuring the CrowdStrike outage, the passing of Liam Payne from One Direction, and Dubai chocolate bars. Read more

Car Thing is discontinued: Spotify has officially ended production of Car Thing, its in-car streaming device. Customers who purchased the device can receive a refund with proof of purchase within the next month. Read more

Bluesky explores paid subscriptions: Bluesky has shared preliminary designs for a potential subscription tier on its GitHub platform. The proposed tier may include features such as customized app icons, post analytics, and bookmark folders. Read more

Sora’s training data questioned: Testing of OpenAI’s video generator, Sora, suggests that its training data may have included content from Twitch streams and video game walkthroughs. Legal experts believe this could present potential issues. Read more

Grok’s unrestricted image generator: Grok has launched Aurora, its newest image generator, which exhibits minimal restrictions regarding the depiction of public figures. This is particularly noticeable in the proliferation of AI-generated images of cast members from “Real Housewives.” Read more

Krispy Kreme experiences cyberattack: Doughnut retailer Krispy Kreme has reported a security breach that has caused some operational disruptions. The company assures customers that its stores remain open and deliveries to partners are unaffected. Read more

Can AI experience love? Freysa.ai is conducting experiments to explore human perceptions of AI safety. A reward of tens of thousands of dollars awaits the first individual to successfully prompt its AI character, Freysa, to express the sentiment “I love you.” Read more

Firefox removes “Do Not Track”: Mozilla’s Firefox browser has eliminated its “Do Not Track” feature, as websites have no obligation to respect the setting, rendering it ineffective and potentially misleading. Read more

Amazon enters car sales: Amazon is expanding into the automotive market with the launch of Amazon Autos, an e-commerce platform enabling customers to locate, order, and purchase new cars, trucks, and SUVs from dealerships. Read more