For years, senior managers at Google's DeepMind artificial-intelligence unit sought to negotiate more independence from the parent company. Now we report exclusively that Google ended those talks last month. Tech reporter Parmy Olson joins host Christopher Zinsli to discuss what happened, and why Google's moves on ethical issues surrounding AI are so closely watched.
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Google AI Unit DeepMind Tried and Failed to Gain More Autonomy

Tech News Briefing is your guide to what people in tech are talking about. Every weekday, we’ll bring you breaking tech news and scoops from the pros at the Wall Street Journal, insight into new innovations and policy debates, tips from our personal tech team, and exclusive interviews with movers and shakers in the industry. Hosted by Zoe Thomas

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In 2015, Amazon launched an operation called Project Curiosity to gather information about its competitors’ operations. The company took extraordinary measures to keep it secret. WSJ reporter Dana Mattioli tells host Alex Ossola more about the project. Plus, big tech companies that spent years expanding their office space are now cutting back. WSJ reporter Konrad Putzier talks about what’s going on, and why it’s leaving property owners in the lurch.



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Inside Amazon’s Secret Project to Gather Intel on Competitors

Plus: ASML posts lower-than-expected orders for the first quarter. And Tesla shareholders are once again set to vote on CEO Elon Musk’s pay package. Alex Ossola hosts.



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TNB Tech Minute: Apple Considers Manufacturing in Indonesia

Disinformation is rampant online, and generative artificial intelligence makes it all the more powerful. WSJ contributor Jack Brewster wanted to see just how easy it would be to make his own fully automated AI-generated news website. He tells host Alex Ossola about the experiment, and what it reveals about how disinformation is spread on the internet. Plus, China has for years wanted to wean its telecommunications systems off foreign-made chips. Now, it looks like that’s finally happening—and, as WSJ China tech editor Liza Lin discusses, it could have a big impact on American chip companies.



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What Does It Take to Start Your Own AI-Powered Content Farm? $105

Plus: Microsoft invests in an Abu Dhabi-based tech company. And Tesla delays shipments of its Cybertruck, according to buyers. Alex Ossola hosts.



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TNB Tech Minute: SpaceX Cracks Down on Starlink Access

For almost a decade, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been promising that fully driverless vehicles are coming soon. Now, Musk says he plans to reveal the company’s first robotaxi in August. WSJ columnist Tim Higgins tells host Alex Ossola why Musk says Tesla has an advantage over its competitors… and why some investors are skeptical. Plus, under pressure to become more efficient, the meatpacking industry is embracing—and investing in—automation. WSJ reporter Patrick Thomas talks about what more automation could mean for companies and workers.



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Google AI Unit DeepMind Tried and Failed to Gain More Autonomy

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