Shamayita Acharya

TOKYO (Reuters) -Renesas Electronics Corp on Tuesday said restoring full production capacity at a fire-damaged chip plant in Japan would take longer than expected, predicting a return to normal by mid-June rather than the previously estimated end of May. Capacity on the Naka plant's 300mm chip line in eastern Japan had returned to about 88% of pre-fire levels at the end of May, the company said in a statement. All new equipment would be installed and switched on "by mid-June", it added. The fire, caused by an electrical fault, was a blow to carmakers around the world already struggling to find enough automotive semiconductors. Renesas makes nearly a third of the microcontroller chips used in cars around the world. An area of 600 square meters (6,458 square feet) was burned in the fire, with 23 machines destroyed and the ultra-sensitive clean room needed for ... Read More on Datafloq

(Reuters) - The European Union (EU) is set to unveil plans for a bloc-wide digital wallet on Wednesday, following requests from member states to find a safe way for citizens to access public and private services online, the Financial Times reported https://on.ft.com/3yPIowv. The app will allow citizens across the EU to securely access a range of private and public services with a single online ID, according to the FT report on Tuesday. The digital wallet will securely store payment details and passwords and allow citizens from all 27 countries to log onto local government websites or pay utility bills using a single recognised identity, the newspaper said, citing people with direct knowledge of the plans. The EU-wide app can be accessed via fingerprint or retina scanning among other methods, and will also serve as a vault where users can store official documents like ... Read More on Datafloq

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese carmakers Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co have temporarily suspended production at their factories in Malaysia due to a nationwide coronavirus lockdown, the companies said on Tuesday. Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Friday announced a "total lockdown" from June 1 to 14 in a bid to contain a recent surge in coronavirus infections. Toyota, which produced around 51,000 vehicles in Malaysia last year, will suspend sales and production from Tuesday, a spokeswoman said, adding that the company has not decided when production will resume. Toyota's subsidiary Daihatsu Motor, which makes compact cars, will also halt production between June 1 and 14, a spokesman said. The subsidiary made about 220,000 vehicles in the Southeast Asian nation in 2020. A Honda spokesman said the automaker will ... Read More on Datafloq

(Reuters) -Private-equity firms KKR & Co and Clayton Dubilier & Rice LLC (CD&R) are nearing a deal to take Cloudera Inc private at a valuation of $4.7 billion, Bloomberg News reported https://bloom.bg/3vDLa5Z on Monday, citing a person familiar with the matter. The private-equity giants are likely to finalise a deal on Tuesday to acquire the software firm at $16 a share, or about a 24% premium to its previous close, according to the report. Cloudera - which has activist investor Carl Icahn as its largest shareholder - has explored a sale since mid-2020 after receiving takeover interest, the report said. The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported https://on.wsj.com/3uFoaSC about the deal talks. KKR and Cloudera did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. ... Read More on Datafloq

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australian and North American units of the world's largest meat works were hit over the weekend by an organised cyber attack on its information systems, Brazil's JBS SA said in a statement. The attack caused its Australian operations to shut down on Monday. The company said it was working to resolve the incident. "On Sunday, May 30, JBS USA determined that it was the target of an organised cybersecurity attack, affecting some of the servers supporting its North American and Australian IT systems," it said in a statement released Monday afternoon, U.S. time. "Resolution of the incident will take time, which may delay certain transactions with customers and suppliers." The attack shut down operations across several Australian states, JBS Australia Chief Executive Officer Brent Eastwood told industry ... Read More on Datafloq

By Alicja Ptak and Justyna Pawlak WARSAW (Reuters) - An espionage trial involving a former Polish secret services agent and an ex-employee of Huawei begins in a Warsaw court on Tuesday as some European states consider whether to exclude the Chinese group's equipment from their 5G telecom networks. Poland arrested the two men in January 2019 on suspicion of spying for China, in a move that has ramped up international debate over the potential security risks of using Huawei equipment in communications networks. Huawei has repeatedly denied its equipment can be used for espionage by authorities in Beijing, but the United States has been pressuring countries to ban it. In Europe, only Britain and Sweden have so far done so. Polish prosecutors allege that Wang Weijing, 39, using the ... Read More on Datafloq

By Giuseppe Fonte and Elvira Pollina ROME (Reuters) - Vodafone's Italian unit has secured conditional approval from Rome to use equipment made by China's Huawei in its 5G radio access network, two sources close to the matter said. Italy can block or impose tough conditions on deals involving non EU vendors under "golden powers", which have been used three times since 2012 to block foreign interest in industries deemed to be of strategic importance. The government of national unity led by Prime Minister Mario Draghi authorised the deal between Vodafone and Huawei on May 20, one of the two sources told Reuters, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter. As in similar deals, the government imposed a set of prescriptions including restrictions on remote ... Read More on Datafloq

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany wants to help citizens in rural areas get better access to the world wide web by supporting the purchase of hardware for satellite internet services such as Elon Musk's Starlink, the transport ministry said on Monday. The planned subsidy scheme will be open to all providers who offer wireless internet connections in rural areas, for example through satellites or directional radio links, the ministry said. Coalition talks about the details of the voucher scheme are still ongoing and the aim is to subsidize the purchase of the technical equipment, it added. "The monthly costs for using the internet connection will not be covered by the grant," the ministry said. The government will subsidize the purchase of Starlink satellite dishes and similar providers of wireless internet connections ... Read More on Datafloq

(Reuters) -CD Projekt's first-quarter net profit fell 64.7% to 32.5 million zlotys ($8.87 million), missing market expectations, hurt by the costs of fixing its flagship "Cyberpunk 2077" game after its troubled launch, while foreign exchange losses also hit results. "Cyberpunk 2077," featuring Hollywood star Keanu Reeves, was one of the most anticipated games last year. It was delayed three times, and after a bug-ridden premiere it has been delisted from Sony's PlayStation Store for more than five months. CD Projekt did not say how many units of "Cyberpunk 2077" it sold in the quarter. Analysts have said sales were likely low, due to its absence from the PlayStation Store and release of a major patch just in late March. "Lower than usual net profitability is mainly due to continuing depreciation of Cyberpunk 2077 development expenditures, work on updating the game, and R&D activities related to future projects," ... Read More on

LONDON (Reuters) - Cryptocurrency Ethereum extended gains to rise more than 8% on Monday to $2,587 but remained 40% below a record high of above $4,300 hit earlier this month. At 1153 GMT, it was trading up 7.4% at $2,565.69. Larger rival Bitcoin also gained in its wake with the world's biggest and best-known cryptocurrency rising 3.7% to $36,977 in quiet trading with London and U.S. markets shut for holidays. Bitcoin has been less volatile in recent days but is down by more than 35% this month, weighed by growing regulatory pressures on the sector. Latest positioning data for the week ended May. 25 confirmed the trend with net short positions nearly doubling from the previous week, which was the smallest net short since late March last ... Read More on Datafloq

Many managers feel ill-equipped to lead in today’s ambiguous and fast-paced world, often feeling overwhelmed and not able to keep up with the continuous changes within their organization. Leaders are struggling to understand how to lead in an increasingly VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) environment, where forecasting and planning is no longer something that can be relied upon. The term VUCA, first coined by the US Army College and brought to business settings by Grint (2010), describes the complex and fast-paced, constantly changing nature of today’s world. Leading through ambiguity requires agility, necessitating more risk-taking and connections with new knowledge. In today’s complexed world, one person can’t have all the answers; instead, leaders must collate ideas, knowledge, and experiences from a comprehensive set of experiences to lead effectively in the 21st century. One way to succeed in a developing VUCA world is to assist leader’s progress modifiable beh

TOKYO (Reuters) -About 20 Japanese companies, including electronic component maker Ibiden Co, will work with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) to develop chip manufacturing technology in Japan, the Nikkei newspaper reported. Japan's government will pay half of the 37 billion yen ($337 million) cost of a research facility, The Nikkei said, without disclosing its sources. TSMC in February said it will spend about $178 million to open a material research subsidiary near Tokyo. In a statement to Reuters, TSMC said that facility "aims to leverage more expertise in the field of materials to bring value to the industry". "We appreciate the support from Japan's government for us to drive semiconductor technology advancement together with TSMC's partners in Japan," it added, without elaborating. ... Read More on Datafloq

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Intel Corp's CEO said on Monday it could take several years for a global shortage of semiconductors to be resolved, a problem that has shuttered some auto production lines and is also being felt in other areas, including consumer electronics. Pat Gelsinger told a virtual session of the Computex trade show in Taipei that the work-and-study-from-home trend during the COVID-19 pandemic had led to a "cycle of explosive growth in semiconductors" that has placed huge strain on global supply chains. "But while the industry has taken steps to address near term constraints it could still take a couple of years for the ecosystem to address shortages of foundry capacity, substrates and components." Gelsinger had told The Washington Post in an interview in mid-April the shortage was going to take "a couple of years" to abate, and that it planned ... Read More on Datafloq

(Reuters) - Bitcoin dipped 5.16% to $33,849.47 at 18:00 GMT on Saturday, losing $1,842.99 from its previous close. Ether, the coin linked to the ethereum blockchain network, dropped 6.26% to $2,262.06 on Saturday, losing $151.11 from its previous close. Bitcoin, the world's biggest and best-known cryptocurrency, is down 47.8% from the year's high of $64,895.22 on April 14. It has been less volatile in the past week but losses this month have been heavy at 38%, driven by growing regulatory pressures on the sector. It is trading at levels last seen in January and at roughly half its peak value. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Chang) ... Read More on Datafloq

By Ben Klayman and Paul Lienert DETROIT (Reuters) -Auto data startup Wejo, backed by General Motors Co, will go public through a reverse merger with blank-check company Virtuoso Acquisition Corp in a deal that values the British company at $800 million including debt, the companies said on Friday. The deal will raise $330 million in proceeds for Wejo, the companies said. That includes $230 million from Special-Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) Virtuoso and another $100 million referred to as Private Investment in Public Equity (PIPE). Wejo Chief Executive and founder Richard Barlow said institutional investors make up most of the PIPE, but declined to identify the firms involved. An additional $25 million could be raised within the next month as talks continue with other potential investors, he said. Investors in the PIPE include No. ... Read More on Datafloq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's proposed budget includes $750 million for the government agencies hit by the SolarWinds hack to pay for cybersecurity improvements to prevent another attack. The money comes on top of a $500 million fund for federal cybersecurity as the U.S. government recovers from the cyber attack that hit nine agencies including the State Department and Treasury. The United States and Britain have blamed Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), successor to the foreign spying operations of the KGB, for the attack. The hack of information technology company SolarWinds, which was identified in December, gave access to thousands of companies and government offices that used its products. Microsoft President Brad Smith described the attack as "the largest and most sophisticated attack the world has ever seen". ... Read More on Datafloq

By Ross Kerber (Reuters) -Amazon.com Inc should review how it is addressing racial justice and equity after a shareholder proposal on the topic won strong backing, New York state's top pension official said on Friday. A filing on Friday showed 44% of votes cast supported a call for a review of the company's impact on equity, diversity and other areas proposed by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli at Amazon's annual meeting on May 26, a high total for such a measure. DiNapoli said the measure would have received a majority but for the 14% stake held by CEO Jeff Bezos, a sign of investor dissatisfaction at the leading online retailer. "Shareholders sent a loud message to Amazon that they want the company to do more to address racial diversity, equity and inclusion. ... Read More on Datafloq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday said it has charged five individuals for promoting a global unregistered digital asset securities offering that raised over $2 billion from retail investors. BitConnect allegedly organized a global network of promoters through referral commissions and used the network to sell the securities without registering them as required by federal securities laws, the SEC said. The agency alleged Trevon Brown, Craig Grant, Ryan Maasen, and Michael Noble were among the promoters advertising to prospective investors through YouTube videos. Counsel for the individuals could not immediately be determined. The agency also charged Joshua Jeppesen, who represented the company at conferences and acted a liaison between BitConnect and promoters. Jeppesen's attorney did not respond immediately to call for comment. ... Read More on Datafloq

(Reuters) - Apple Inc is delaying the launch of a podcast subscription service until June after some podcast creators had issues with delays in their shows appearing after uploading them, according to an email seen by Reuters. Apple in April said it was introducing a service that would let podcast creators charge for their shows, with Apple keeping a 30% commission in the first year of a subscription and thereafter dropping commissions to 15%, similar to its App Store. The service was originally slated to start this month. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Chris Reese) ... Read More on Datafloq

By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday the Senate would resume consideration of a sweeping package of legislation intended to boost the country's ability to compete with Chinese technology on June 8. The Senate had sought to pass the $250 billion measure on Thursday but the legislation was delayed by Republicans who said Schumer and his fellow Democrats had not allowed enough time to consider amendments. The U.S. Innovation and Competition Act of 2021, or USICA, authorizes about $190 billion for provisions to strengthen U.S. technology in general, plus $54 billion specifically to increase production of semiconductors, microchips and telecommunication equipment. The legislation also seeks to counter Beijing's growing global influence through diplomacy, by working with allies and increasing U.S. involvement in international organizations after former President ... Read More on Datafloq

ZURICH (Reuters) - The global shortage of semiconductor chips could last three to six months, Logitech Chief Executive Bracken Darrell told Swiss newspaper Finanz und Wirtschaft, with some industries facing shortages of up to a year. "Like others we have felt the shortages, but we have been able to cushion them well," Darrell said in an article published on Friday. "It takes time to ramp up production but in the meantime, prices have also adjusted." The computer peripheral maker has used new suppliers for some parts, Darrell said, as in some cases its main suppliers did not have enough capacity. (Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Michael Shields) ... Read More on Datafloq

By Aaron Saldanha and Sinéad Carew (Reuters) -Shares of AMC Entertainment hit record highs before paring gains on Friday, putting the movie theater chain on track for a 156% weekly gain. AMC's shares were last up 16.4% at $30.87 after earlier hitting a high of $36.72, and on track for their biggest weekly gains since late January. Shares in GameStop were down 2.4% on Friday. Shares of the videogame retailer, which has been at the heart of the so-called "stonks" retail trading mania this year, were still set for its best weekly gain since mid-March, up about 40% so far. Retail traders' shift into so-called meme stocks - shares favored by the denizens of online communities - comes on the back of a selloff in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies whose prices have slumped ... Read More on Datafloq

Hello netizens! Welcome to the Tech Journal. My name is Mark van Rijmenam, and I am The Digital Speaker.  In these journals, I project my digital twin into cyberspace, bringing you the latest and greatest of the digital world from inside the digital world. I cover all the latest digital news, from algorithms and crypto through to GPT-3 and neural networks. Today, I am going to discuss the end of Liberalism and how Digitalism will replace it as the world’s first, true global political doctrine. Together, we will delve into and explore the positive aspects and the negative aspects of an economy run on data. Taking a closer look at some potential futures that are awaiting us depending on which direction we choose to go. Sit back, relax, and let us start speaking digital. You can either view the episode below or view it on Vimeo, YouTube or listen to it on Anchor.fm, Soundcloud or Spotify.  “Never let a good crisis go to waste” Winston Churchill once said, “Never let a good

YouTube is famous for delivering all different types of content. Significantly, the educational and entertainment-related content. YouTube is a space where we get a diverse collection of entertainment and talent. As YouTube is an auxiliary of Google, we can expect a couple of issues watching YouTube videos on Google Chrome browsers. Recently, there have been many reports about YouTube videos not playing, YouTube playback errors, YouTube not loading on chrome and YouTube videos not playing smoothly. So here we have listed the most probable causes for why YouTube videos are not playing on chrome and how you can fix this issue. POSSIBLE CAUSES OF YOUTUBE VIDEOS NOT PLAYING ON CHROME 1.Outdated Chrome browser 2.Disabled Javascript 3.Slow internet connection 4.Outdated video plugin 5.Incompatible browser extension 6.Corrupted cache You Can Also Read: Artificial IntelligenceHERE ARE A FEW METHODS TO FIX THIS ISSUE. First of all, make sure to update or reinstall chrome so you're using the

When talking about disruptive technologies with the potential to change the world forever, it is impossible to ignore the impact of blockchain technology and how millions of people are eager to purchase bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. This unique technology is based on an immutable ledger capable of controlling, registering, and securing cryptographic transactions, in which all exchanges of data or money are peer-to-peer (P2P). Hence, blockchain technology has a huge potential to take accounting to the next level, especially when it comes to updating the way accountants deal with documentation, billing methods, and tax payment processing. In this article, you will have an exclusive overview of how blockchain technology has the potential to change the future of accounting. Blockchain Technology & Accounting - Understanding the Correlation Even though many accounting professionals are not feeling the impact of blockchain yet, it is crucial to be open to this new trend and ada

By Tushar Goenka BENGALURU (Reuters) - Funds recommended the lowest equity exposure this year in May, citing risks from the expected pull-and-push between reflation trades and dovish central banks, but most respondents in Reuters polls said a near-term correction in stock markets was unlikely. While global shares have see-sawed in May, with technology-related stocks taking a hit, the MSCI world equity index breached an all-time high and European bourses were near record highs, helped by policymakers allaying inflation concerns. Still, Reuters polls of 35 fund managers and chief investment officers in the United States, Europe and Japan, taken May 10-27, showed the lowest recommended equity allocations since December - averaging 48.7% of the model global portfolio, down from over a three year high of 49.8% last month. "We have entered ... Read More on Datafloq

By James Pearson and Phuong Nguyen HANOI (Reuters) - A rapidly spreading COVID-19 outbreak has left factories operating below capacity in Vietnam's industrial northern provinces, where suppliers for Apple, Samsung and other global tech firms are located, industry sources said. After successfully containing the new coronavirus for most of last year, Vietnam is now battling an outbreak that is spreading more quickly. More than 3,000 people have been infected in 30 of its 63 cities and provinces since late April. The capital Hanoi, and the southern business hub of Ho Chi Minh City, have shut restaurants and banned public gatherings. Four business sources said their operations had been affected as some areas have entered lockdown, raising concerns about supply chain disruption. ... Read More on Datafloq

By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Chinese-owned short video-sharing app TikTok has been given a month to respond to multiple complaints from EU consumer groups that it allegedly violated the bloc's consumer laws and also allegedly fail to protect children from hidden advertising and inappropriate content. Owned by China's ByteDance, TikTok has seen rapid growth worldwide, particularly among teenagers. However a number of incidents have prompted concerns about its privacy and safety policies. The European Commission on Friday said that it had launched a formal dialogue with TikTok and national consumer groups to review the company's commercial practices and policy. European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said greater digitalisation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has created new risks, in particular for vulnerable consumers. ... Read More on Datafloq

By Tom Wilson LONDON (Reuters) - Bitcoin slumped on Friday to its lowest this week, taking losses sparked by a growing crackdown in China and environmental concerns to almost 40% so far this month. The biggest cryptocurrency extended earlier losses, falling as much as 8.2% to $35,339 as it stayed pinned in this week's relatively tight trading range. It was last down 6.2%. "Bitcoin is currently in a bit of 'slumber mode' trading in the range of $34,000 and $40,000," said Ulrik Lykke, executive director at crypto hedge fund ARK36. "Many traders are acknowledging that price seems to be range-bound for the moment, why they may be hesitant to take a position with high conviction." The cryptocurrency ... Read More on Datafloq

As the world goes increasingly digital in its working, ensuring the security of a website attains paramount importance. Hacks and malicious attacks threaten your website, irrespective of the fact that whether you are a large enterprise or a small business. But, there are solutions that when applied will reduce your vulnerability to threats and enhance your security.Keep your software up to date: No code is perfect. The software and platforms that you install and run your website sometimes contain glitches. Plus, a lot of these plugins have open-source code which makes them vulnerable to hackers. A lot of hackers use automated attacks to identify such vulnerabilities and take unfair advantage of them. So, the developers keep updating their programs to correct any glitches. Their security features are updated keeping recent security threats in mind. Thus, you need to stay updated to prevent any malicious attack. Use HTTPS for your website: HTTPS ensures the security of a website. This pr

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Electricity consumption from China's data centres and 5G base stations could almost quadruple from 2020 to 2035, putting the sector under pressure to commit to clean energy sources, environmental group Greenpeace said on Friday. Combined electricity consumption by data centres and 5G base stations stood at more than 200 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2020, with more than 60% sourced from coal-fired power stations. That is expected to rise to 782 billion kWh by 2035, Greenpeace estimated, making the sector one of the fastest growing sources of climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions. China's internet sector has become one of the country's biggest electricity users, and consumption is forecast to exceed the whole of Australia by 2023, Greenpeace said in a previous report. China has pledged to ... Read More on Datafloq

By Scott Murdoch and Sophie Yu HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) -JD Logistics Inc surged on debut, giving the Chinese delivery and warehousing firm a $34 billion stock market value and providing a strong start on Friday for Hong Kong's second-largest listing this year. Shares of the company, spun out from Chinese e-commerce firm JD.com, rose as much as 18.3% compared to the initial public offering (IPO) price. By early afternoon, they were up 9%, against the broader market's 0.6% gain. JD Logistics' stock gains come after it priced its $3.2 billion IPO closer to the lower end of an indicated range. Its listing is being watched closely as an indicator of appetite for big IPOs in Hong Kong and of companies closely connected to China's internet economy, which is facing antitrust scrutiny. ... Read More on Datafloq

By Laura Sanicola (Reuters) - U.S. energy companies are scrambling to buy more cyber insurance after this month's attack on Colonial Pipeline disrupted the U.S. fuel supply, but they can expect to pay more as cyber insurers plan to hike rates following a slew of ransomware attacks. The Colonial ransomware attack on May 7 shut the largest fuel pipeline network in the United States for several days, crippling fuel delivery to most of the U.S. East Coast. Pipeline companies rely on electronic networks, putting them at risk of additional attacks that could hamper delivery of crude oil or other fuels. Insurers are preparing to increase cyber insurance premiums by 25% to 40% across many industries because of the number of claims, insurance companies and brokers have said. But energy companies should expect rate increases at the higher end of the spectrum as the ... Read More on Datafloq

(Reuters) -The group behind the SolarWinds cyber attack identified late last year is now targeting government agencies, think tanks, consultants, and non-governmental organizations, Microsoft Corp said on Thursday. "This week we observed cyberattacks by the threat actor Nobelium targeting government agencies, think tanks, consultants, and non-governmental organizations", Microsoft said in a blog https://bit.ly/2SzLGmO. Nobelium, originating from Russia, is the same actor behind the attacks on SolarWinds customers in 2020, according to Microsoft. The comments come weeks after a May 7 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline shut the United States' largest fuel pipeline network for several days, disrupting the country's supply. "This wave of attacks targeted approximately 3,000 email accounts at more than 150 different organizations", Microsoft said on Thursday. ... Read More on Datafloq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said on Thursday it will resume making donations to U.S. lawmakers through its political action committee, but will not support 147 lawmakers who voted against President Joe Biden's electoral certification in January. The company had suspended all donations in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol attack pending a review. A company spokesman confirmed the decision to resume donations. The decision was reported earlier by BuzzFeed. The company did not say how long the ban on donations to the Republicans who voted against certification will last. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese) ... Read More on Datafloq

By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Tesla's decision to remove radar sensors from two of its U.S. vehicles has cost it top safety ratings from a widely followed insurance industry group and the influential Consumer Reports magazine. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Wednesday Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles built after April 27 will no longer be labeled as having some advanced safety features after the automaker said it was removing radar sensors to transition to a camera-based Autopilot system. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also plans to remove the Model 3's Top Safety Pick+ designation for vehicles built after April 27, a spokesman confirmed, adding it plans to evaluate Tesla's new system. NHTSA said it updated its website to show that Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles ... Read More on Datafloq

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Alphabet Inc's Google is nearing a settlement of an antitrust investigation in France over allegations it abused its power in online advertising, and will likely pay a fine and institute operational changes, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The French Competition Authority has said that Google's tool to help websites and apps sell ads gave Google's online ad auction system an advantage over rival exchanges, the people told the newspaper. Google offered to settle the matter by removing obstacles that it puts up against competitors, the newspaper reported. The settlement could be among the first resolutions in a wave of new investigations or lawsuits targeting Google's ads business, which generated $147 billion in revenue last year, more than any other internet company in the world. ... Read More on Datafloq

By Elizabeth Culliford (Reuters) - Two tech trade groups filed a lawsuit against Florida on Thursday over a new law that would fine social media companies that ban political candidates, which they said violated free speech rights. The lawsuit, which said the bill signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday was unconstitutional, was filed by internet lobbying groups NetChoice and Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA). The groups' members include Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet's Google. "We cannot stand idly by as Florida's lawmakers push unconstitutional bills into law that bring us closer to state-run media and a state-run internet," said NetChoice's Vice President Carl Szabo. "The First Amendment protects social media platforms' right to host and moderate content as they see fit for their business models and users." Christina ... Read More on Datafloq

By David Randall NEW YORK (Reuters) - A push toward relying more on renewable energy for bitcoin mining could make the underperforming solar industry more attractive, star fund manager Cathie Wood said at a cryptocurrency conference Thursday. The value of bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency, has dropped approximately 30% this month due in part to concerns that its negative environmental impacts will discourage companies from adopting it on their balance sheets. Billionaire and Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk said in a May 13 tweet that the electric car maker will no longer accept bitcoin as a form of payment due to the "insane" amount of energy used to produce it. Ark Invest CEO Wood said in an appearance at Coindesk's Consensus 2021 conference that bitcoin miners switching to renewable energy sources "will encourage an acceleration in the adoption of ... Read More on Datafloq

By AI Trends Staff   AI is being implemented among manufacturers at an increasing rate, with more participation in Europe and Japan than the US.   Some 51 %  of European manufacturers are implementing AI solutions, compared to 30 %  in Japan and 28 %  in the US, according to recent research from  CapGemini .     “AI in manufacturing is a game-changer,” state the report’s authors, led by Pascal Brosset, the global CTO and North American leader for Capgemini’s Digital Manufacturing Services. The research team surveyed 300 global manufacturers from automotive, industrial manufacturing, consumer products and aerospace and defense, to understand the focus of their AI initiatives. They also analyzed 22 AI use cases in manufacturing operations spread across seven functional areas.      In Europe, Germany is leading the way with 69 %  of its manufacturers implementing AI. Three types of use cases stand out for their suitability for starting out a manufacturer’s journey :  intelligent maint

By Lance Eliot, the AI Trends Insider       The new phonebook is here! The new phonebook is here!   That’s what people  use  to exclaim when the latest iteration of the local phonebook came out and was available for use. It was exciting since the venerated document contained the latest info about how to get ahold of someone. For those of you that perchance remember the antics of Steve Martin in the movie  The Jerk , I’m sure you are already chuckling at the mention of a new phonebook and the accompanying delight that oftentimes arose due to the latest release of a thick tome that merely contained updated phone numbers and names.   It might seem like an oddball reaction nowadays, yet there was some validity to the keen interest in seeing the revisions and updates that arose in the latest incarnation of your local phonebook.       There is similar effervescent excitement going on for those that are deeply versed in the realm of self-driving cars, and it has to do with a kind-of newl