One Thing Today in Tech

OpenAI has expanded the availability of its ChatGPT app for iOS users in 33 countries, including India, where a subscription costs just under Rs. 1,000 a month. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has stated that the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Bill in India will bring about significant changes in the behaviour of platforms that have exploited or misused personal data, according to a Press Trust of India report carried by Hindustan Times. Also in this brief, WhatsApp is said to be working on a screen-sharing feature.

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OpenAI has expanded the availability of its ChatGPT app for iOS users in 33 countries, including India, Algeria, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Poland, and the United Arab Emirates, TechCrunch reports. This comes just a week after the app's launch in the United States.

Within six days of its initial availability, the ChatGPT mobile app surpassed half a million downloads, making it one of the most successful new apps. It also outperformed other AI and chatbot apps, as well as Microsoft Edge and Bing apps, in terms of downloads in the U.S. since its launch, according to TechCrunch.

OpenAI's ChatGPT app allows users to interact with the AI-based chatbot on their iPhones. It offers voice input through Whisper, supports advanced features for ChatGPT Plus subscribers, and enables direct subscription to ChatGPT Plus for $20 per month in the U.S., all while being ad-free and available for free download.

In India subscription to the paid version costs Rs. 999 per month or Rs. 7,900 as a lifetime purchase, according to the plans on offer via the app.

Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reversed his earlier statements and clarified that the company has no plans to leave Europe, despite expressing concerns about the European Union's proposed AI Act, CNBC reports. Altman had initially threatened to cease operations in Europe if the regulations were too stringent.

Twitter has withdrawn from the European Union's voluntary agreement to combat online disinformation, according to European Commissioner Thierry Breton. While other major social media platforms have pledged to support the EU's disinformation "code of practice," Twitter has chosen to opt-out.

WhatsApp is said to be working on enhancing its video calling experience with a new feature that allows users to share their screens during video calls, Mint reports, citing a website called WABetaInfo. The feature is reportedly being tested by Android beta testers who have installed the latest version of WhatsApp beta for Android.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar has stated that the upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection Bill in India will bring about significant changes in the behaviour of platforms that have exploited or misused personal data, according to a Press Trust of India report carried by Hindustan Times.

Chandrasekhar clarified that the proposed government-appointed fact-check body is not about censorship but rather providing an opportunity for the government to counter misinformation related to it.

Microsoft President Brad Smith has raised concerns about artificial intelligence churning out deep fakes, false but highly realistic content. In a speech in Washington, Smith emphasized the need to address deep fakes and protect against foreign cyber influence operations, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, India didn’t figure in the list of markets as OpenAI expanded its iOS app to 11 countries. Snapchat hits 200 million active users in India, and also in this brief, Matrix Partners India has closed its latest fund at $550 million.

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Microsoft President Brad Smith yesterday expressed concerns regarding artificial intelligence churning out deep fakes, false but highly realistic content.

In a speech in Washington, Smith emphasized the need to address deep fakes and protect against foreign cyber influence operations, Reuters reports.

He called for measures to inform people whether a photo or video is genuine or AI-generated, aiming to prevent deception or fraud through the use of AI. Smith also advocated for licensing critical forms of AI to ensure security, cybersecurity, and national security obligations.

Smith echoed the call for global cooperation on AI and incentivized safety compliance. He also emphasized accountability for AI-related issues and the importance of human control over critical infrastructure, proposing safety brakes. Additionally, Smith suggested implementing a system similar to "Know Your Customer" to monitor AI developers and inform the public about AI-generated content.

Meanwhile, OpenAI has expanded the availability of its ChatGPT app for iOS to 11 additional countries, excluding India, Mint reports.

The app, which allows users to ask questions using voice also, is now accessible in nations including France, the UK, Jamaica, Korea, Ireland, Nicaragua, Albania, and Croatia. Mira Murati, CTO at OpenAI, announced the expansion on Twitter, mentioning that the app would be introduced to more countries soon.

OpenAI aims to make state-of-the-art research more accessible and plans to release a free app for Android devices in the future.

Snapchat has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 200 million monthly active users in India, with 120 million of them engaging with content on the platform, according to parent company Snap Inc., Mint reports.

To celebrate this achievement, Snap Inc. has introduced an experimental AI-powered chatbot called My AI, tailored for Snapchat. The chatbot can provide personalized recommendations for birthday gifts, plan weekend trips, and even suggest dinner recipes.

Snap Inc. attributes its success in India to the local platform experience, content initiatives, partnerships, and a dedicated focus on regional creators, along with the popularity of augmented reality (AR) features.

Matrix Partners India has successfully closed its latest fund, raising over $550 million in commitments, the VC firm said in a newsletter yesterday. Matrix aims to invest in exceptional founders and assist in building ground-breaking companies, focusing on seed, early, and early growth stages across various sectors.

India's digital economy, expected to reach $2 to $3 trillion in the next decade, presents a lucrative opportunity for founders to create disruptive businesses. Matrix Partners India expresses gratitude to founders and long-term investors, while also expanding its physical presence in Gurugram to engage with India's flourishing startup ecosystem.

Apple yesterday announced a new partnership with Broadcom to develop 5G radio frequency components and wireless connectivity components. Separately, Wistron, a contract manufacturing supplier to Apple, has shut its operations in India, Mint reports. Also in this brief, Infosys Topaz is a new suite of services based on generative AI with specific use cases in different industry verticals; Microsoft is showcasing Jugalbandi, an AI assistant in local Indian languages; And Matrix Partners India is raising the target for its fourth fund to $525 million, TechCrunch reports.

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Apple yesterday announced a new multi-billion-dollar partnership with Broadcom to develop 5G radio frequency components and wireless connectivity components. Broadcom will design and build FBAR filters in the US, the company said in a press release.

These investments align with Apple's 2021 commitment to invest $430 billion in the US economy over five years, the company said. The components Apple is sourcing from Broadcom are different from the 5G modems that are made by Qualcomm, CNBC points out.

Apple, which already makes its own processors, has also been trying to make its own 5G modems to cut its dependence on Qualcomm. It’s not immediately clear if this deal with Broadcom will help Apple further that aim.

Meanwhile, Apple’s contract manufacturer Wistron has halted iPhone production in India due to its inability to make profits under Apple's terms, Mint reports. Wistron, a smaller company compared with Foxconn and Pegatron, was unable to negotiate higher margins with Apple, according to the report.

Anthropic, an AI startup founded by former OpenAI executives, has raised $450 million in funding, making it the largest AI funding round this year, CNBC reports.

Lead investors include Google, Salesforce Ventures, Zoom Ventures, and Spark Capital. Anthropic, known for its chatbot Claude, aims to develop generative AI models aligned with human values.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is showcasing an example of how generative AI could help far-flung rural Indian communities. Jugalbandi, an AI assistant developed by AI4Bharat, an Indian AI for development initiative, backed by the government, and supported by Microsoft and Infosys Chairman Nandan Nilekani, is using generative AI to develop a mobile assistant that provides information on government schemes in multiple languages.

Microsoft Build, the company’s annual flagship conference concludes tomorrow. The company has announced the expansion of several projects, including its copilot products and ChatGPT plugins.

Infosys yesterday launched Infosys Topaz, an AI-based suite of services, solutions, and platforms that use generative AI technologies. Infosys Topaz combines the company’s suite of cloud services, called Cobalt, and AI to drive business growth, foster connected ecosystems, and unlock efficiencies at scale, the company said in a press release.

Matrix Partners India has increased its current fund target to $525 million, surpassing its initial disclosure of $450 million, TechCrunch reports.

Indian American entrepreneur Naval Ravikant has co-founded a new social media app called Airchat. The app, currently in beta testing, attempts to offer a new approach to social media by focusing on conversations and interactions.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been hit with a record-breaking fine of 1.2 billion Euro ($1.3 billion) by European Union regulators for violating EU privacy laws. Meanwhile, the company’s WhatsApp unit announced that messages on its platform will soon be editable for up to 15 minutes after they are sent. The feature is rolling out worldwide. Also in this brief, TCS announced a generative AI bespoke service as part of its partnership with Google Cloud; And Mumbai startup Chalo raises $45 million in fresh funding led by Avataar Ventures.

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WhatsApp yesterday announced that you can now edit your messages for up to 15 minutes after sending them. Whether it is correcting a simple misspelling or adding more context to a message, users only need to long-press on a sent message and choose ‘Edit’ from the menu that pops up, the company said in a press release.

Edited messages will display ‘edited’ next to them, so those you’re messaging are aware of the change, but without showing edit history. As with the regular messages, media and calls, the edited ones are also protected by end-to-end encryption, according to WhatsApp.

This feature has started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been hit with a record-breaking fine of €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) by European Union regulators for violating EU privacy laws, CNN reports.

The fine follows an inquiry by the Irish Data Protection Commission and highlights the uncertainty surrounding the legal transfer of EU users' data to servers outside the EU. The European Data Protection Board stated that Meta's processing and storage of personal data in the US violated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

This fine is the largest ever imposed under the GDPR, surpassing the previous record set against Amazon in 2021. Meta has been ordered to cease processing the personal data of European users in the US within six months. The company plans to appeal the ruling.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) yesterday announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud and the launch of its new service, TCS Generative AI. This collaboration aims to provide bespoke business solutions that leverage Google Cloud's generative AI services to accelerate clients' growth and transformation, the company said in a press release.

Chalo, a startup in Mumbai, has raised $45 million in a Series D funding round and secured an additional $12 million in debt as it seeks to enhance its mobility offerings and expand into more international markets, TechCrunch reports.

The funding round was led by Avataar Ventures, with participation from existing investors Lightrock India, WaterBridge Ventures, and former Google executive Amit Singhal. The debt financing came from Trifecta and Stride Ventures. The latest investment brings the company’s total funding to $88.6 million according to private markets insights provider Tracxn.

The company is currently operating in over 50 cities in India, tracking more than 15,000 buses, and has plans to expand its fleet of e-vehicles and enter additional international markets.

Leaders of the Group of Seven nations have called for the development of technical standards to ensure trustworthy artificial intelligence, Reuters reports. Meanwhile, OpenAI has introduced an official iOS app for ChatGPT, bringing its popular AI chatbot to mobile devices, according to a blog post from the company over the weekend. Also in this brief, Amazon Web Services, the world’s biggest cloud provider, has announced a massive investment in India; IBM announces a new quantum computing R&D partnership and Krafton gets another shot at India for PUBG aka BGMI.

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Instagram experienced a widespread technical issue on May 21, disrupting services for thousands of users. However, the platform is now back up for most users after the problem was resolved, according to a spokesperson from Meta, Reuters reports.

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations have called for the development of technical standards to ensure trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI), Reuters reports. During their meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, the G7 leaders acknowledged the need for governance of AI to keep pace with its rapid growth.

The G7 leaders agreed to establish a ministerial forum called the "Hiroshima AI process" to address issues related to generative AI, such as copyrights and disinformation, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, OpenAI has introduced an official iOS app for ChatGPT, bringing its popular AI chatbot to mobile devices, according to a blog post from the company over the weekend.

The app, which will initially be available only to users in the US, offers free access to ChatGPT without any advertisements. Users can interact with the AI chatbot using voice input as well.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a plan to invest $12.7 billion (INR 1,05,600 crores) in cloud infrastructure in India by 2030 to meet the growing demand for cloud services.

This investment is expected to contribute $23.3 billion (INR 1,94,700 crores) to India's GDP and create an estimated average of 131,700 full-time equivalents (FTE) jobs annually, the world’s biggest cloud technologies company said in a press release on Friday.

IBM has announced a 10-year, $100 million initiative in collaboration with the University of Tokyo and the University of Chicago to develop a quantum-centric supercomputer, the company said in a press release yesterday.

The supercomputer will be powered by 100,000 qubits and will have the potential to tackle complex problems that current supercomputers cannot solve, such as understanding chemical reactions, modelling climate change, and developing sustainable materials and fertilizers.

South Korean gaming company Krafton has received approval from Indian authorities to resume operations of Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), the popular battle royale mobile game. BGMI was launched after the Indian government banned PUBG, the original version of the game, TechCrunch reports.

The approval has been initially granted for a three-month trial period, during which the government will monitor user-related issues such as addiction and harm. The move to resume operations comes as India considers lifting bans on various apps previously linked to China, according to TechCrunch.

A consortium led by Tata Consultancy Services has received an Advance Purchase Order valued over Rs 15,000 crore from BSNL for the deployment of a 4G network across India.

Apple yesterday announced new software features for cognitive, speech, and vision accessibility. These updates, set to launch later this year, include assistive access, live speech, personal voice, and point and speak in the magnifier app, the company said in a press release. Also in this brief, Infosys and bp signed an MoU to deepen their partnership. This helps Infosys “solidify” its 20-year-old relationship as the primary provider of IT application services to the British energy company, India’s second-biggest IT company said in a press release yesterday.

Vice Media, the New York media and entertainment company that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this week owes Indian IT services company Wipro around $10 million, Economic Times reports.

Wipro is the largest unsecured creditor of Vice Media, whose eponymous magazines in the US and UK became famous. 

OpenAI is preparing to release a new open-source language model to the public, Reuters reports, citing The Information. The new model is reportedly based on OpenAI's ChatGPT model, which is known for its ability to produce human-like text. OpenAI has not yet announced a release date for the new model, but it is expected to be available in the coming months.

Apple yesterday announced new software features for cognitive, speech, and vision accessibility. These updates, set to launch later this year. 

Assistive Access aims to lighten the cognitive load for users with cognitive disabilities by distilling apps and experiences to their essential features. It offers a customized experience for essential activities such as making calls, sending messages, taking photos, and listening to music.

Live Speech enables users who are nonspeaking or at risk of losing their ability to speak to type what they want to say, and the text is then spoken out loud during calls and conversations.

Personal Voice is designed for users at risk of losing their ability to speak, such as those with conditions like ALS. It allows users to create a synthetic voice that sounds like them by recording 15 minutes of audio using randomized text prompts.

For individuals with vision disabilities, the Detection Mode in Magnifier offers Point and Speak. This feature uses the device's camera, LiDAR Scanner, and on-device machine learning to identify and announce the text on physical objects such as household appliances.

Separately, MacRumours reports that according to analyst Ross Young, Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models are expected to feature larger screen sizes, while the standard iPhone 16 will retain a 6.1-inch display.

WeWork CEO Sandeep Mathrani has announced his resignation amidst the company's ongoing restructuring efforts, Reuters reports. Mathrani's decision comes as WeWork strives to regain stability following a tumultuous period in its history.

The co-working space provider had faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a shift towards remote work. Mathrani, who joined WeWork in 2020, will continue to serve as CEO until a suitable successor is appointed.

WeWork, once valued at $47 billion, has encountered setbacks including mounting losses and controversies surrounding its governance.

Infosys has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with bp to consolidate its position as the British energy company’s primary partner for end-to-end application services, the IT services company said in a press release yesterday.

In today’s quick take, we teamed up with our own Naini Thaker, an avid IPL watcher and OTT aficionado, to help us make sense of the news that Disney+ Hotstar lost 15-16 percent of its India paid subscriber base between October 2022 and March 2023. Naini also walks us through the news that a substantial portion of HBO’s premium content will now only be available on Jio Cinema. She unpacks what this means, including Jio Cinema’s emergence as an OTT force that you will have to embrace to find your favourite HBO show.

Foxconn, a key Apple contractor, is set to invest $500 million in setting up manufacturing plants in Telangana. This move demonstrates Foxconn's intent to expand its presence in India as Apple pushes its biggest partners to step up efforts to help it reduce dependence on China. The EU has okayed Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, making it a direct competitor to Sony and Nintendo. Also in this brief, WhatsApp has added a security feature to protect “intimate” conversations, and Amazon is laying off employees across various functions in India, Economic Times reports.

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Amazon is laying off employees across various functions in India, Economic Times reports. The move comes as the e-commerce giant evaluates and reshapes its operations in the country. While the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed, at least 500 people may have been fired, according to ET.

WhatsApp has unveiled a new feature called Chat Lock, aimed at bolstering privacy for users' intimate conversations. With concerns surrounding data security on the rise, the feature provides an additional layer of authentication to safeguard personal information.

By activating Chat Lock, users can lock specific chats behind fingerprint or facial recognition. This serves as an effective barrier against unauthorized access, particularly if someone gains physical access to a user's device.

Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard has received approval from the European Commission, marking a significant milestone in the tech giant's expansion into the gaming industry, The Verge reports.

The deal, which was announced earlier this year, was subject to regulatory scrutiny to ensure it did not violate competition laws. The European Commission's decision follows a similar green light from the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

According to a report by The Verge yesterday, the European Commission has given its consent for the acquisition, stating that it "would raise no competition concerns in the European Economic Area." This approval paves the way for Microsoft to finalize its $68.7 billion purchase of the renowned game publisher and developer.

Foxconn, a key Apple contract manufacturer, is set to invest $500 million in setting up manufacturing plants in Telangana, a southern state in India. This move demonstrates Foxconn's intent to expand its presence in India as Apple and its biggest partners step up efforts to reduce dependence on China.

The investment is expected to create 25,000 direct jobs in the initial phase, as stated by K.T. Rama Rao, Telangana's IT minister in a tweet yesterday.

Foxconn has been manufacturing iPhones in India and recently won a bid to manufacture AirPods in the country. It also purchased land worth $37 million in Bengaluru earlier this month, according to TechCrunch. The Indian government's financial incentives to promote local manufacturing, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have attracted commitments from various companies, including Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron.

JP Morgan analysts predict that by 2025, India could account for 25 percent of all iPhones manufactured by Apple.

Apple is likely to unveil a high-end mixed reality headset at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The headset will likely have an internal screen for virtual reality and outward-facing cameras for augmented reality overlays. It is said to be experimental relative to other Apple products, with a waist-mounted external battery pack, and a price tag of around $3,000 (which was also previously reported by The Information). We invited Milind Manoj, co-founder and CEO of PupilMesh, an AR hardware and software tech startup in Bengaluru, to give us his perspective.

Elon Musk, who is amidst a transition to a new CEO to take his place at Twitter, has come under criticism for allegedly giving in to government pressure to censor tweets ahead of national elections in Turkey, according to multiple reports. Apple’s next more powerful processor, the M3 chip is expected later this year, according to Bloomberg. The company is also expected to unveil its long-anticipated virtual reality and augmented reality headset at its worldwide developer conference next month. Also in this brief, India is developing a nationwide system to help people block their lost mobile devices.

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Nearly half of all internet traffic in 2022 was generated by bots, according to a report by Imperva Research Labs, Security Magazine reports.

The report found that 47 percent of all traffic came from bots, including both "good" bots like search engine crawlers and "bad" bots like those used for web scraping and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

India is set to launch a nationwide system to combat mobile device theft, according to a Press Trust of India report that appeared in various publications.

The system will enable mobile phone users to block and track their lost or stolen devices and track their devices using GPS technology.

Elon Musk, who is amidst a transition to a new CEO to take his place at Twitter, has come under criticism for allegedly giving in to government pressure to censor tweets ahead of national elections in Turkey, according to multiple reports.

Critics argue that Musk, who has been a vocal advocate for free speech, is an opportunist who has compromised his values for business interests. The controversy stems from SpaceX's dealings with Turkey's right-wing leader, which some speculate may have influenced Musk's decision to reverse his stance on censorship.

“The choice is to have Twitter throttled in its entirety or limit access to some tweets. Which one do you want?” Musk tweeted yesterday, in response to one critic. He added in another tweet that all internet companies are doing this around the world, while Twitter is only being clear about it.

Meanwhile, Musk has recruited Linda Yaccarino, until last week the chairman of advertising and partnerships at NBC Universal Media, as the new CEO of Twitter.

Musk confirmed rumours that Yaccarino would lead Twitter in a tweet on Friday. She’s expected to take charge in six weeks.

Apple is working on its next silicon, the M3 chip for Mac, which features improved CPU, GPU, and RAM specifications, Bloomberg’s Apple watcher Mark Gurman reports.

The M3 chip is expected to be available in the latter half of 2023, and it is anticipated to be a significant upgrade over Apple's previous chips.

Apple is also likely to unveil a high-end mixed reality headset at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, MacRumours reports, citing a Wall Street Journal report that’s behind a paywall.

The headset will have an internal screen for virtual reality and outward-facing cameras for augmented reality overlays. It is said to be unconventional and experimental relative to other Apple products, with a waist-mounted external battery pack, and a price tag of around $3,000.