Technology

Spotify cuts around 1,500 jobs as growth slows
Spotify cuts around 1,500 jobs as growth slows

Music streaming giant Spotify said Monday it would reduce its number of employees by around 17 percent in a bid to cut costs amid "dramatically" slower economic growth. Ek said the company now finds itself in a very different environment, noting that "economic growth has slowed dramatically and capital has become more expensive."

Bitcoin soars past $40,000 on optimism for US trading approval
Bitcoin soars past $40,000 on optimism for US trading approval

Bitcoin on Monday rose past $40,000 for the first time since May last year, boosted by hopes that the United States will soon allow broader trading of the world's biggest cryptocurrency. Bitcoin has also been boosted by hopes that the US Federal Reserve has wrapped up its hiking programme and may cut interest rates next year.

Montreal research hub spearheads global AI ethics debate
Montreal research hub spearheads global AI ethics debate

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence -- and recent turmoil at industry powerhouse OpenAI -- have brought fresh attention to a key hub of ethics research related to the technology in Montreal, led by Canadian "godfather of AI" Yoshua Bengio.

With outburst, Musk puts X's survival in the balance
With outburst, Musk puts X's survival in the balance

Elon Musk's verbal assault on advertisers who have shunned X (formerly Twitter) threatens to sink the social network further, with the tycoon warning of the platform's demise, just one year after taking control. But by dropping X, "you are opening yourself up for competitors to step into your territory," warned Kellis Landrum, co-founder of digital marketing agency True North Social.

First trailer for "Grand Theft Auto VI" on December 5
First trailer for "Grand Theft Auto VI" on December 5

Rockstar Games said it will release a trailer next Tuesday for the first installment in a decade of "Grand Theft Auto," video-gaming's controversial blockbuster. One of the most famous franchises in the world of video games, GTA has never been free of controversy, due to its sulfurous mix of violence, sex and gangster life.

US judge halts pending TikTok ban in Montana
US judge halts pending TikTok ban in Montana

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked a ban on TikTok set to come into effect next year in Montana, saying the popular video sharing app was likely to win its pending legal challenge.

'More than a chatbot': Google touts firm's AI tech
'More than a chatbot': Google touts firm's AI tech

Google's position as king of the search engines is under threat like never before, but the firm's global policy chief told AFP this week it still had the edge over its AI competitors. And Walker, who joined Google in 2006 and heads its legal and policy teams, chose his words carefully on AI's potential to upend the search engine market.

Online view pixel