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Dara Kerr

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Friday

National

Regional power authority approves request for Musk's Memphis AI supercomputer project

The regional power authority in Memphis approved a request for enough energy to power a small city. Elon Musk's AI company will use it for a massive supercomputer. The project was a surprise to many.

Regional power authority approves request for Musk's Memphis AI supercomputer project

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Tuesday

Technology

Google's AI Overview has no opt-out. That's making some people unhappy

Tech companies are force-feeding people AI on search engines and social media platforms and there's no way to opt out. Google search, considered the gateway to the internet, is especially frustrating.

Google's AI Overview has no opt-out, that's making some people unhappy

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Thursday

President-elect Donald Trump embraces Elon Musk during an October campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Over the last few months, the two men have cultivated a warm relationship.

President-elect Donald Trump embraces Elon Musk during an October campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Over the last few months, the two men have cultivated a warm relationship. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

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Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Business

With Trump's win, Elon Musk stands to benefit

The billionaire businessman has spent weeks campaigning relentlessly for Donald Trump. That dedication could lead to major benefits for him and his companies.

Musk and Trump

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Tuesday

Technology

Tech companies look to renewable energy to power AI

AI is sucking up energy and tech companies are looking at ways to power it. There's been a lot of talk about nuclear, but those projects are years away and AI's thirst for energy is happening now.

Tech companies look to renewable energy to power AI

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Tuesday

Technology

Tech company Worldcoin has a goal to scan the irises of everyone on Earth

The scan uses a football-sized device called The Orb to collect people's biometric data. The idea is to create a way to identify all humans. The company has dealt with bans in several countries.

Tech company Worldcoin has a goal to scan the irises of everyone on Earth

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Sunday

Friday

Technology

The biggest findings from uncensored TikTok lawsuit documents

Hidden -- though not effectively -- in a lawsuit against Tiktok, there are accusations that company executives have deceived the public about the social media app's effects on young people.

The biggest findings from uncensored TikTok lawsuit documents

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Wednesday

The Justice Department sued Google for allegedly using its dominance to control the search engine market. In August, a federal judge ruled in favor of the government and now must decide how to sanction the company.

The Justice Department sued Google for allegedly using its dominance to control the search engine market. In August, a federal judge ruled in favor of the government and now must decide how to sanction the company. Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe hide caption

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Leon Neal/Getty Images Europe

Technology

Justice Department calls for sanctions against Google in landmark antitrust case

After a federal judge ruled in August that Google is illegally monopolizing the search engine market, the Department of Justice is now saying the company must be reined in.

Justice Department issues framework for remedies in Google search case

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Friday

Technology

Snapchat brushed aside warnings of child harm, documents show

Newly unsealed documents show that Snapchat ignored employee concerns over the app facilitating harms against minors -- including sextortion, sexual exploitation and the sale of drugs and weapons.

Snapchat brushed aside warnings of child harm

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Wednesday

xAI took over this factory in Memphis, Tenn., earlier this year. This is where it's building a supercomputer to fuel artificial intelligence.

Elon Musk's xAI took over this factory in Memphis, Tenn., earlier this year. This is where it's building a supercomputer to fuel artificial intelligence. Houston Cofield/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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Houston Cofield/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Business

How Memphis became a battleground over Elon Musk's xAI supercomputer

A massive project headed by Elon Musk in Memphis, Tenn., to power AI has moved at breakneck speed. But it's stirring controversy around pollution emissions. The EPA says it's looking into it.

Musk, AI & Memphis

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Wednesday

Media

Instagram fails to protect female politicians from violent, racist, sexist comments

A new report that shows a deluge of misogynistic, racist and violent comments targeting Kamala Harris and female politicians on Instagram. Meta recently slimmed down its content moderation teams.

Instagram fails to protect female pols

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Meta is shutting down its CrowdTangle tool, despite researchers petitioning the company to keep it going through January 2025.

Meta is shutting down its CrowdTangle tool, despite researchers petitioning the company to keep it going through January 2025. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Business

Meta shutters tool used to fight disinformation, despite outcry

The social media company discontinues its CrowdTangle tool, which researchers have used to track misinformation. Amid fears of election interference, lawmakers have urged Meta to keep it running.

Wednesday

Elections

There's a presidential campaign donor battle going on in Silicon Valley

Hundreds of Silicon Valley venture capitalists from across the political spectrum have pledged support for Harris. But a vocal group of billionaires said they'll do what's needed to get Trump elected.

There's a presidential campaign donor battle going on in Silicon Valley

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Tuesday

Visitors walk past the logo of internet search engine giant Google.

Google suffered a defeat in a major antitrust lawsuit that was first brought by the Department of Justice in 2020. Michael Gottschalk/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Gottschalk/AFP via Getty Images

Technology

Google is defiant after losing antitrust lawsuit and being called a 'monopolist'

A federal judge rules that Google illegally abused its monopoly power to maintain its control over the search engine business. Google says it's appealing.

Google has lost a major antitrust lawsuit. What's next for the search giant?

Listen · 3:35
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Monday

Law

Google loses to the Justice Department in major anti-trust lawsuit

Google has lost a major anti-trust lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice. The judge ruled that google illegally abused its monopoly power to ensure it dominated the search engine market.

Google loses to the Justice Department in major anti-trust lawsuit

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Saturday

Vice President Harris delivers a speech on artificial intelligence in London on Nov. 1, 2023.

Vice President Harris delivers a speech on artificial intelligence in London on Nov. 1, 2023. Daniel Leal/AFP/Via Getty Images hide caption

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Daniel Leal/AFP/Via Getty Images

Politics

Tech luminaries and VCs go all-in on Kamala Harris campaign, 5 things to know

Harris started her political career in the Bay Area. And since launching her campaign, donations from Silicon Valley have poured in. But that doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll go easy on Big Tech.

Tuesday

Politics

It’s taken 2 years to get the Kids Online Safety Act to this point

The Kids Online Safety Act is set to pass the Senate, but some groups oppose it. It’s a rare bipartisan bill with broad support.

It’s taken 2 years to get the Kids Online Safety Act to this point

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Saturday

Technology

The Crowdstrike outage showed the vulnerability of the cloud

Experts say the services companies like Crowdstrike supply are in the hands of too few providers that are themselves too interconnected.

The Crowdstrike outage showed the vulnerability of the cloud

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Friday

Google Vice President Majd Bakar speaks on-stage during an annual conference in San Francisco with the back drop of a massive data center.

Google Vice President Majd Bakar speaks on-stage during an annual conference in San Francisco with the back drop of a massive data center. Josh Edelson/Getty Images hide caption

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Josh Edelson/Getty Images

Business

AI brings soaring emissions for Google and Microsoft, a major contributor to climate change

The tech giants both report surges in greenhouse gas emissions as they double-down on adding artificial intelligence to all of their products.

Artificial intelligence's thirst for electricity

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Wednesday

Technology

Artificial intelligence's thirst for electricity

Artificial intelligence is an electricity hog. Google says its total greenhouse gas emissions climbed nearly 50% over five years, mostly due to electricity that powers AI data centers.

Artificial intelligence's thirst for electricity

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Monday

Vehicles drive toward downtown Minneapolis on Interstate 35 on a Sunday in May.

Vehicles drive toward downtown Minneapolis on Interstate 35 on a Sunday in May. Jenn Ackerman for NPR hide caption

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Jenn Ackerman for NPR

Business

Uber and Lyft are fighting minimum wage laws. But in this state, the drivers won

Internal emails, interviews and in-app messages show Uber and Lyft deployed a powerful lobbying playbook to stop minimum wage laws in Minnesota. But drivers had a playbook of their own.

Uber and Lyft's playbook to stop minimum wage bills in Minnesota

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Tuesday

Apple software chief Craig Federighi, right, pictured with exec John Giannandrea, announced a partnership with OpenAI to bring AI features to its products.

Apple software chief Craig Federighi, right, pictured with exec John Giannandrea, announced a partnership with OpenAI to bring AI features to its products. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) Jeff Chiu/AP hide caption

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Jeff Chiu/AP

Technology

Apple doubles down on artificial intelligence, announcing partnership with OpenAI

Apple has announced a much-anticipated partnership with OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. The deal to bring AI features to iPhones and other devices is a major move for Apple, which has been slower than some competitors to jump on the AI bandwagon.

OPEN AI TECH ON APPLE DEVICES

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Wednesday

Business

Could a major update to Apple's iPad be the reset that the company needs?

Apple unveils new versions of its iPad at a time when revenue from its devices are falling and it faces growing competition from places like China. Will this refresh help the company?

Could a major update to Apple's iPad be the reset that the company needs?

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