Digital World



South Korea, Ireland watchdogs to question DeepSeek on user data

AFP - 13h ago

Data watchdogs in South Korea and Ireland said Friday they would ask Chinese AI startup DeepSeek to clarify how it …

South Korea watchdog to question DeepSeek over user data

AFP - 1h ago

South Korea will ask Chinese AI startup DeepSeek to clarify how it manages users' personal information, its data …

Samsung operating profit hit by R&D spending, fight to meet chip demand

AFP - 17h ago

The operating profit of South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics sank almost a third in the fourth quarter owing to …

Apple profit climbs but sales miss expectations

AFP - 24h ago

Apple on Thursday reported its revenue was a whopping $124.3 billion in the year-end holiday quarter, but sales growth …

UK prosecutors defend jail terms of environmental activists

Jan 30 2025

UK prosecutors on Thursday defended lengthy prison sentences handed down to 16 environmental activists, telling London's …

Six arrested over plot to kidnap French YouTube star

Jan 30 2025

French police have arrested six people on suspicion of plotting to kidnap YouTube star Inoxtag or one of his relatives …

Salvadoran town hopes Trump brings 'good times' for bitcoin

Jan 30 2025

Bitcoin enthusiasts seeking to turn a mountain town in El Salvador into a cryptocurrency haven hope that US President …

Meta agrees to pay Trump $25 mn to settle account ban lawsuit

Jan 30 2025

Meta has agreed to pay President Donald Trump $25 million to settle a 2021 lawsuit he filed claiming he was wrongfully …

With China's DeepSeek, US tech fears red threat

Jan 30 2025

The emergence of the DeepSeek chatbot has sent Silicon Valley into a frenzy, with calls to go faster on advancing …

Meta posts big profit, aims to take AI lead

Jan 29 2025

Social media giant Meta on Wednesday reported surging profits and revenue for 2024, announcing ambitious plans to expand …

Microsoft profit rises but cloud business misses mark

Jan 29 2025

Microsoft on Wednesday reported profits of $24.1 billion in the recently ended quarter, but shares slid on worries over …

Meta posts big profit, plans massive AI investment

Jan 29 2025

Social media giant Meta on Wednesday reported surging profits and revenue for 2024, announcing ambitious plans to expand …

Upstart DeepSeek faces heightened scrutiny as AI wows

Jan 29 2025

With around six million dollars and a stockpile of chips acquired before Washington banned their export to China, …

DeepSeek's 'Sputnik moment' exposes holes in US chip curbs

Jan 29 2025

US export controls on high-tech chips may have inadvertently fuelled the success of start-up DeepSeek's AI chatbot, …

Dutch chip giant ASML reports 2024 net profit dip but solid orders

Jan 29 2025

Dutch tech giant ASML, which sells cutting-edge machines to make semiconductor chips, reported a drop in annual net …

Blurred posts, banned accounts: Abortion groups decry Meta 'suppression'

Jan 29 2025

Blurred posts, downranked searches and deleted accounts: Since President Donald Trump's election, groups sharing …

Influential podcasts fuel 'harmful' health misinformation

Jan 29 2025

Unfounded cancer cures, dubious anti-vaccine narratives, and false claims that neurological disorders can be "reversed" …

Who might buy TikTok in the US?

Jan 29 2025

As the clock ticks down on TikTok's 75-day reprieve from divesting from its Chinese owners or being banned in the United …

OpenAI tailors version of ChatGPT for US government

Jan 28 2025

OpenAI on Tuesday launched a bespoke version of its ChatGPT artificial intelligence tool for use by the United States …

White House urges TikTokers to apply for press passes

Jan 28 2025

Donald Trump's new press secretary on Tuesday invited TikTokers and podcasters to apply for White House press passes, in …

DeepSeek shock shows Europe not out of AI race: experts

Jan 28 2025

China-based DeepSeek's artificial intelligence model has shaken the sector by offering high performance apparently at a …

US stocks, Nvidia shares steady after Chinese AI shock

Jan 28 2025

US stocks and shares in chip-making giant Nvidia on Tuesday clawed back some of their losses following a sell-off …

Pakistan outlaws disinformation with 3-year jail term

Jan 28 2025

Pakistan criminalised online disinformation on Tuesday, passing legislation dictating punishments of up to three years …

DeepSeek, Chinese AI startup roiling US tech giants

Jan 28 2025

Chinese startup DeepSeek, which has sparked panic on Wall Street with its powerful new chatbot developed at a fraction …

DeepSeek breakthrough raises AI energy questions

Jan 28 2025

Having shattered assumptions in the tech sector and beyond about the cost of artificial intelligence, Chinese startup …

Trump warns of 'wake-up call' as low-cost Chinese AI jolts sector

Jan 28 2025

Fears of upheaval in the AI gold rush rocked Wall Street on Monday following the emergence of a popular ChatGPT-like …

Games music composer with ambition to define an artform

Jan 28 2025

Far from the bleep-driven video game soundtracks of yesteryear, French composer Olivier Deriviere is determined to help …

Trump warns of 'wake-up call' as low-cost Chinese AI jolts Silicon Valley

Jan 28 2025

Fears of upheaval in the AI gold rush rocked Wall Street on Monday following the emergence of a popular ChatGPT-like …

Colombian 'webcam models' denounce abuse in online sex industry

Jan 28 2025

Filming in dirty, bug-infested rooms with scant breaks and shared sex toys: Colombia's "webcam models" are speaking out …

'Tell the world': Holocaust survivors entrust memories to AI

Jan 28 2025

Survivors of the Holocaust have entrusted their memories of the Nazi death camps to artificial intelligence to ensure …

Silicon Valley rattled by low-cost Chinese AI

Jan 27 2025

Fears of upheaval in the AI gold rush rocked Wall Street on Monday following the emergence of a popular ChatGPT-like …

Nvidia loses nearly $600 bn in value as Chinese AI firm jolts tech shares

Jan 27 2025

US chip-maker Nvidia led a rout in tech stocks Monday after the emergence of a low-cost Chinese generative AI model that …

Nigerian extradited, charged over sextortion that led to US teen's death

Jan 27 2025

A Nigerian man has been extradited to the United States to face charges in connection with the sextortion of a teenage …

Taiwan identifies 52 'suspicious' Chinese ships for close monitoring

Jan 27 2025

Taiwan has identified 52 "suspicious" Chinese-owned ships flying flags of convenience that require close monitoring if …

With Trump win, Silicon Valley's right flank takes on Washington

Jan 27 2025

One week into his second administration, Donald Trump has put technology at the forefront, featuring tech billionaires …

Universal, Spotify ink multi-year deal

Jan 26 2025

Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company, and streaming behemoth Spotify on Sunday announced a …

Meta plans to invest $60 bn or more in AI this year

Jan 24 2025

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday said the tech giant plans to invest at least $60 billion in artificial …

Meta profits from known pro-Russian disinfo network: researchers

Jan 24 2025

Social media giant Meta made hundreds of thousands of dollars last year from content posted by a well-known pro-Russian …

Meta guru urges Europe to gamble more on AI

Jan 24 2025

Europe should take greater risks and plough more money into artificial intelligence, Meta's chief AI scientist Yann …

OpenAI unveils 'Operator' agent that handles web tasks

Jan 24 2025

OpenAI on Thursday introduced an artificial intelligence program called "Operator" that can tend to online tasks such as …

US news giant CNN eyes 200 job cuts, streaming overhaul

Jan 23 2025

US news network CNN will shed six percent of staff, some 200 people, the outlet said Thursday as it embarks on a major …

How things stand in China-US trade tensions with Trump 2.0

Jan 23 2025

Donald Trump is back in the White House, promising to use the United States's vast economic weight to hit back at China …

Musk bashes Trump-backed AI mega project

Jan 23 2025

Tech titan Elon Musk cast doubt Wednesday on a $500 billion AI project announced by US President Donald Trump, saying …

Musk, Wikipedia founder in row over how to describe 'Nazi salute'

Jan 23 2025

The gesture was controversial enough, but now come the sub-controversies: Elon Musk is trolling Wikipedia and …

Larry Ellison, tech's original maverick, makes Trump era return

Jan 23 2025

US tech titans Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos are taking a prominent place in the new Trump era, but another …

Instagram courts TikTok stars during turbulent times

Jan 23 2025

Meta-owned Instagram has been wooing creators from TikTok as the China-based video-snippet sharing app's future remains …

Musk seeks Trump pardon for 'Bitcoin Jesus,' charged with fraud

Jan 22 2025

Elon Musk said Tuesday he was exploring a presidential pardon for "Bitcoin Jesus," who was arrested last year on fraud …

Musk slams Trump-backed AI mega project

Jan 22 2025

Tech titan Elon Musk cast doubt Wednesday on a $500 billion AI project announced by US President Donald Trump, saying …

End social media anonymity to fight fakes, crime: Spain PM

Jan 22 2025

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday proposed ending anonymity for social media users and forcing tech …

Musk salute at Trump rally celebrated by extremists online

Jan 22 2025

Elon Musk's hand gestures at an inauguration event for US President Donald Trump, which quickly drew comparisons to Nazi …

Netflix reports surge in subscribers, new price hikes

Jan 22 2025

Netflix on Tuesday said it added nearly 19 million subscribers during the holiday season to finish out last year with …

Netflix surges past 300 mn subscribers

Jan 21 2025

Netflix on Tuesday said it added nearly 19 million subscribers during the holiday season to finish out last year with …

Netflix adds 19 mn paid subscribers, topping 300 mn

Jan 21 2025

Netflix on Tuesday said it added nearly 19 million subscribers during the holiday season to finish out last year with …

EU's legal weapon facing the heat from US big tech

Jan 21 2025

For tech billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, the EU's digital rules are a tool of censorship. For the bloc, they …

Numbers using 'QuitX' service swell before Trump inauguration

Jan 20 2025

"Millions of connections" from social network X will be re-established on rivals BlueSky or Mastodon from Monday, a …

TikTok restores service in US, thanking Trump

Jan 20 2025

TikTok restored service in the United States Sunday after briefly going dark, as a law banning the wildly popular app on …

India's 'digital arrest' scammers stealing savings

Jan 20 2025

Within five hours while sitting at home in India, retired professor Kamta Prasad Singh handed over his hard-earned …

Young Chinese turn to AI pets for emotional relief

Jan 20 2025

At a shopping mall in Beijing, Zhang Yachun murmurs quietly to her closest confidant, a fluffy AI-powered robot whose …

India uses AI to stop stampedes at world's biggest gathering

Jan 20 2025

Keen to improve India's abysmal crowd management record at large-scale religious events, organisers of the world's …

Trump says will delay TikTok ban, proposes US part-ownership

Jan 19 2025

President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday called for the United States to take part-ownership in TikTok and vowed to issue …

TikTok goes dark in US as Trump seeks reprieve from ban

Jan 19 2025

TikTok went dark in the United States on Sunday as millions of dismayed users found themselves barred from the popular …

TikTok shuts down US access as Trump seeks app's reinstatement

Jan 19 2025

Millions of TikTok users were blocked from accessing the popular app in the United States as a national ban came into …

TikTok notifies US users of shutdown as Trump seeks last-ditch solution

Jan 19 2025

TikTok warned users in the United States late Saturday that the app would soon become "temporarily unavailable" as a law …

US TikTok ban looms as Trump seeks last-ditch solution

Jan 18 2025

TikTok has pledged to "go dark" in the United States on Sunday, threatening access for 170 million app users without …

Trump launches his own meme coin, value soars

Jan 18 2025

US President-elect Donald Trump has launched his own cryptocurrency, appropriately called $TRUMP, sparking feverish …

Rome shoppers take pot luck in 'blind sale' of unclaimed packages

Jan 18 2025

Benedetta slid a manicured nail through the sellotape of a mystery package to unwrap a garden hoe and earbuds. Her …

Telegram boss admits 'seriousness' of French allegations: source

Jan 18 2025

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has told investigating magistrates in France, where he is charged with multiple infractions …

TikTok's journey from fun app to US security concern

Jan 18 2025

As a law that could get TikTok banned in the United States is poised to go into effect, here is a look at the rise of …

In Brazil, disinformation deals Lula a bruising defeat

Jan 18 2025

An avalanche of disinformation about a new economic measure proved so tricky for Brazil's government to navigate that …

TikTok could 'go dark' in US Sunday after Supreme Court ruling

Jan 18 2025

TikTok says it will "go dark" in the United States on Sunday unless the government provides assurances a new law calling …

The video games bedeviling Elon Musk

Jan 17 2025

Skepticism rages about whether Elon Musk actually put in the hours to become a top player of video games "Diablo IV" and …

Gamers tear into Musk for 'faking' video game prowess

Jan 17 2025

Elon Musk's self-proclaimed persona as a top-class gamer took a thrashing on Friday, as video game enthusiasts …

'More sad than shocked': TikTok users brace for ban

Jan 17 2025

"I almost, like, don't know how to define myself without TikTok," content creator Ayman Chaudhary sighed, reflecting the …

TikTok's US future in limbo after Supreme Court ruling

Jan 17 2025

The US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law that could force TikTok to shut down in the United States, potentially …

US Supreme Court upholds law banning TikTok

Jan 17 2025

The US Supreme Court on Friday upheld a law that will ban TikTok in the United States, potentially denying the …

EU deepens probe into X after Musk outbursts

Jan 17 2025

The EU on Friday demanded X hand over more details about its algorithms and any future changes as part of its …

EU has limited power to suspend Elon Musk's X

Jan 17 2025

A suspension for Elon Musk-owned social network X in the European Union could be more difficult than some politicians …

Musk backing for European far right 'endangers democracy': Scholz

Jan 17 2025

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday said US tech billionaire Elon Musk is threatening European democracy with his …

Nintendo shares down on detail-light Switch 2 teaser

Jan 17 2025

Nintendo shares tumbled as much as seven percent on Friday after the Japanese games giant failed to impress with a …

'Mini-Musks' channel tech titan in EU Parliament

Jan 17 2025

Fidias Panayiotou, a Cypriot YouTuber-turned-lawmaker who snatched his 15 minutes of fame by hugging Elon Musk, is …

Apple sidelines AI news summaries due to errors

Jan 17 2025

Apple pushed out a software update on Thursday which disabled news headlines and summaries generated using artificial …

Nintendo shares tumble as Switch 2 teaser disappoints

Jan 17 2025

Nintendo shares tumbled as much as seven percent on Friday after the Japanese games giant failed to impress with a …

Nintendo shares tumble as Switch 2 preview disappoints

Jan 17 2025

Nintendo shares tumbled more than seven percent on Friday after the Japanese games giant failed to impress with a brief …

'Damaging' AI porn scandal at US school scars victims

Jan 17 2025

Her voice tinged with anger, an American mother worried about what the future holds for her teenage daughter, just one …

Music industry girds for looming US TikTok ban

Jan 16 2025

TikTok has dramatically changed music discovery and marketing -- a reliance the looming US ban on the popular app has …

EU's ex-tech chief joins Bank of America as advisor

Jan 16 2025

The EU's influential former tech enforcer Thierry Breton will join Bank of America's advisory council, he told AFP on …

Nintendo hopes to reprise blockbuster Switch with 2025 successor

Jan 16 2025

Nintendo is betting on the 2025 release of a bigger, better version of its blockbuster Switch console to keep up the …

French researchers aim to ease X refugees' path with 'HelloQuitX'

Jan 16 2025

French researchers have developed an application to help users migrate their whole online community from Elon Musk's X …

China to probe US chips over dumping, subsidies

Jan 16 2025

China said Thursday it would launch a probe into US exports of chips used in everything from cars to home appliances …

Chinese apps including TikTok hit by privacy complaints in Europe

Jan 16 2025

Online privacy campaigners said Thursday they had filed complaints in several European countries against six Chinese …

Apple loses top spot in China smartphone sales to local rivals

Jan 16 2025

Apple lost its status as the best selling smartphone brand in the crucial Chinese market last year, new data showed …

Taiwan's TSMC says net profit rose 57% in fourth quarter

Jan 16 2025

Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC on Thursday announced a better-than-expected net profit for the fourth quarter as it …

Nintendo rumour mill in overdrive over new Switch

Jan 16 2025

Speculation over Nintendo's new console, a successor to the wildly popular Switch, reached a fever pitch Thursday with …

AFP strikes deal for France's Mistral AI to use news articles

Jan 16 2025

Global news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) and French artificial intelligence company Mistral AI have signed a deal …

Drake files defamation suit against Universal over Kendrick Lamar track

Jan 15 2025

Rapper Drake on Wednesday filed suit against his own label, saying Universal Music Group's release and promotion of a …

US tightens controls on advanced chips to curb flow to China

Jan 15 2025

The United States unveiled further export controls Wednesday on advanced computing semiconductors, increasing due …

US Supreme Court weighs Texas age-check for porn sites

Jan 15 2025

The US Supreme Court grappled with a challenge on Wednesday to a Texas law requiring pornographic websites to verify …

From ban to buyout: What next for TikTok in the US?

Jan 15 2025

TikTok faces an imminent shutdown in the United States after Congress passed a law last year forcing its Chinese owner …

Humanity has opened 'Pandora's box of ills,' UN chief warns

Jan 15 2025

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that humanity had unleashed a "Pandora's box of …

Thai PM says nearly fell for foreign leader phone scam

Jan 15 2025

Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra almost fell victim to a phone scam using AI to impersonate a foreign …

Spanish youth ditch dating apps for 'real life' love

Jan 15 2025

Jilted on dating apps but undeterred in the quest for romance, 20 young singles gathered in Madrid to share activities …

German bourse banks on Trump-fuelled crypto boom

Jan 15 2025

As Donald Trump's looming return to the White House promises to boost cryptocurrencies, a German stock exchange is on a …