World Labs, the startup co-founded by AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li, has introduced groundbreaking technology that transforms single images into interactive 3D environments. Unlike existing tools, these AI-generated scenes can be explored and modified directly within a browser, offering a dynamic and engaging experience.
The startup’s system leverages a category of AI known as ‘world models,’ which simulate 3D environments with improved consistency and physical realism. While the technology is still in its early stages, it aims to revolutionise industries like gaming, filmmaking, and design by providing accessible and cost-effective tools for creating virtual worlds.
Backed by $230M in funding from prominent investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Intel Capital, World Labs is valued at over $1B. The company plans to refine its system further and release its first product in 2025, marking a significant step in the evolution of interactive AI applications.
The US Supreme Court has decided to allow a class-action lawsuit against Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to move forward. The case stems from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where the political consulting firm accessed personal data from 87M Facebook users and used it for voter targeting in the 2016 US presidential election. Meta had sought to block the lawsuit, but the court dismissed its appeal.
Investors claim Meta failed to fully disclose the risks of data misuse, leading to two major drops in its stock price in 2018 when the extent of the privacy breach became public. Meta has already paid a $5.1B fine and a $725M settlement with users over related allegations.
The lawsuit is one of several legal challenges facing big tech firms. A separate case against Nvidia is under review, as investors allege the company misled them about its dependency on cryptocurrency mining.
OpenAI is under scrutiny after engineers accidentally erased key evidence in an ongoing copyright lawsuit filed by The New York Times and Daily News. The publishers accuse OpenAI of using their copyrighted content to train its AI models without authorisation.
The issue arose when OpenAI provided virtual machines for the plaintiffs to search its training datasets for infringed material. On 14 November 2024, OpenAI engineers deleted the search data stored on one of these machines. While most of the data was recovered, the loss of folder structures and file names rendered the information unusable for tracing specific sources in the training process.
Plaintiffs are now forced to restart the time-intensive search, leading to concerns over OpenAI’s ability to manage its own datasets. Although the deletion is not suspected to be intentional, lawyers argue that OpenAI is best equipped to perform searches and verify its use of copyrighted material. OpenAI maintains that training AI on publicly available data falls under fair use, but it has also struck licensing deals with major publishers like the Associated Press and News Corp. The company has neither confirmed nor denied using specific copyrighted works for its AI training.
Elon Musk’s social media platform X is testing a free version of its AI chatbot, Grok, which was previously exclusive to premium subscribers. Over the weekend, reports surfaced from users and researchers indicating that some free accounts in regions like New Zealand now have access to the AI tool. While usage is capped to 10 queries every two hours for the Grok-2 model, this marks a significant expansion of the technology’s reach.
Grok, developed by Musk’s company xAI, launched earlier this year with advanced features like image generation and understanding, powered by Black Forest Labs’ FLUX.1 model. Previously available only to paying users, the decision to extend limited access to free users may reflect xAI’s strategy to grow its user base and improve feedback for refining its technology.
To use Grok for free, accounts must be at least seven days old and linked to a phone number. This move positions xAI to compete with AI giants like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, while also potentially bolstering its valuation, which reportedly reached $40B in recent funding discussions. This test of free access could accelerate Grok’s development cycle and further establish xAI in the competitive AI market.
Apple has introduced ChatGPT integration with the release of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, allowing developers to explore new features tied to its Apple Intelligence system. The integration enables ChatGPT to enhance Siri’s knowledge and power new writing tools, along with other features like image generation and cleanup tools.
Users who opt into both Apple Intelligence and ChatGPT will be able to leverage OpenAI’s models without needing a separate ChatGPT account, though non-premium users will face limitations on the number of queries. Siri can now call on ChatGPT for certain tasks, such as generating recipes or helping with travel plans, making the virtual assistant more versatile.
Apple Intelligence also includes ‘Compose,’ which lets users generate text based on prompts in supported apps. Alongside this, users can experiment with OpenAI’s image generation or create customised emojis through Apple’s Genmoji tool, offering a more creative and intuitive user experience.
The competition between Elon Musk and Mukesh Ambani is intensifying as they vie for dominance in India’s emerging satellite broadband market. After India’s government decided to allocate satellite spectrum administratively, rather than through auction, the stage is set for a fierce battle. Musk’s Starlink, which uses low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, is poised to enter the Indian market, while Ambani’s Reliance Jio has already partnered with Luxembourg-based SES, utilising medium-Earth orbit (MEO) satellites.
The stakes are high as satellite broadband promises to bring internet access to remote areas of India, helping to bridge the country’s digital divide. Both billionaires have taken opposing views on how the spectrum should be allocated, with Ambani pushing for an auction, while Musk argues for the administrative model, aligning with international standards. India’s telecom regulator has yet to announce spectrum pricing, but projections indicate that satellite internet could reach two million subscribers by 2025.
This rivalry underscores the vast potential of the Indian market, where nearly 40% of the population still lacks internet access. Both Musk and Ambani are vying to capture this untapped segment, but pricing will be critical, especially in a country where mobile data is among the cheapest globally. Analysts predict a price war, with Musk’s deep pockets potentially giving Starlink a competitive edge, though challenges remain due to Starlink’s higher costs compared to local providers.
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has recently updated its Russia General License (GL) 25E, maintaining authorisation for essential and incidental transactions to telecommunications involving the Russian Federation. That license facilitates various internet-based services, including instant messaging, social networking, and e-learning platforms.
It supports the ongoing exchange of communications and allows for the export or reexport of related software, hardware, and technology, provided such transactions comply with the Department of Commerce’s Export Administration Regulations. However, it is important to note that transactions involving significant Russian telecommunications companies designated by OFAC remain unauthorised under this license and must be carefully analysed.
The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control has also issued a critical alert regarding Russia’s attempts to evade sanctions by establishing new overseas branches and subsidiaries of Russian financial institutions. That alert warns that these efforts to open new international branches or subsidiaries should be considered potential red flags for sanction evasion.
Financial institutions and foreign regulators are advised to exercise caution when engaging with these entities, as activities such as maintaining accounts, transferring funds, or providing financial services may carry significant risks of facilitating Russia’s attempts to bypass sanctions.
NATO’s initiative to enhance global internet resilience through satellite communications has made significant strides since its launch on 31 July 2024. With a $2.5 million investment from NATO’s Science for Peace and Security (SPS) programme, the project aims to create a hybrid network that can reroute data during emergencies when undersea cables are compromised.
Collaborating with prestigious institutions like Cornell University and Johns Hopkins University, the consortium known as HEIST is focused on developing a working prototype within the next two years, with a demonstration planned at the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden.
The initiative seeks to bolster internet security by integrating satellite and submarine cable technologies and addresses the complex legal challenges associated with international telecommunications. By promoting collaboration among NATO Allies and partners, this project represents a proactive approach to safeguarding critical infrastructure and ensuring the stability of global communications in an increasingly digital landscape.
Reliance Industries’ Jio Platforms, a major player in the Indian telecommunications market, has recently cleared a significant regulatory hurdle in its ambitious plan to launch satellite internet services in India. That development marks a pivotal step forward in Jio’s mission to expand its digital footprint and offer high-speed internet across the country’s vast and diverse landscape. The approval comes from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), which is responsible for regulating and promoting private sector participation in the country’s space sector. The nod of approval is crucial for Jio Platforms as it paves the way for the deployment of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide internet services.
Jio’s satellite internet project aims to deliver high-speed broadband connectivity to remote and rural areas, where traditional fiber-optic networks are challenging to implement. That initiative aligns with the Indian government’s vision of a ‘Digital India’ aimed at bridging the digital divide and ensuring that every citizen has access to the internet. In its endeavor to roll out satellite internet, Jio Platforms is collaborating with SES, a Luxembourg-based satellite telecommunications company. The partnership is expected to leverage SES’s expertise in satellite technology and Jio’s robust terrestrial infrastructure, creating a seamless internet experience for users.
The technology underpinning this initiative involves the use of LEO satellites, which orbit closer to the Earth compared to traditional geostationary satellites. That proximity results in lower latency and faster internet speeds, making it a viable solution for real-time applications such as video conferencing, online gaming, and streaming services. The market in India presents a massive opportunity for satellite internet providers, given its large population and the significant number of underserved regions. According to industry estimates, India has over 700 million internet users, yet millions still lack reliable internet access, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Jio Platforms’ entry into the satellite internet space will position it against other global players like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and its Starlink project, as well as Amazon’s Project Kuiper. Two other companies, Inmarsat and Eutelsat‘s Bharti Enterprises-backed OneWeb, have also received approval to operate satellites over India, with OneWeb having secured all its necessary permissions late last year. IN-SPACe Chairman Pawan Goenka also noted that the agency would soon authorise private companies to operate ground stations, enabling satellite operators to download data as they pass over India. This year, India opened the gates for foreign direct investment in the sector, allowing outside companies to invest in the manufacture of components and systems or subsystems for satellites up to 100% without approval.
Why does it matter?
The Indian satellite broadband service market is expected to grow 36% annually over the next five years and reach $1.9 billion by 2030, according to consultancy Deloitte. That indicates substantial growth potential and a transformative impact on the country’s internet accessibility.
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