Internet

Sweden criminalises purchases of custom-made porn videos

Sweden's parliament on May 20 adopted an amended law criminalising the purchase of sexual acts online, such as custom-made pornography through sites such as OnlyFans.

Gadgets

Southwest Airlines will require chargers be kept out while in use because of battery fire concerns

Passengers on Southwest Airlines flights will soon be required to keep their portable chargers in plain sight while using them because of concerns about the growing number of lithium battery fires in a new policy that other airlines may adopt.

Technology

Wi-Fi industry clashes with mobile operators over additional EU spectrum

(Reuters) -A group of 58 internet providers and industry associations urged EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen on Wednesday to free up additional spectrum for Wi-Fi services, setting up a clash with operators seeking the same frequencies for mobile networks.

AI

Google ramps up search with AI mode

Google on May 20 said it was beefing up online searches with even more generative artificial intelligence, as it presses on with embracing AI despite fears for its ad-based business model.

Technology

Japan's JIC says JSR's weak financials do not affect chipmaking consolidation goal

TOKYO (Reuters) -State-backed JIC's private equity arm said its goal of driving consolidation in Japan's chipmaking sector through portfolio firm JSR is unaffected by weak financial performance at the photoresist maker.

AI

A new headache for honest students: Proving they didn’t use AI

Students are resorting to extreme measures to fend off accusations of cheating, including hourslong screen recordings of their homework sessions.

Driverless vehicle

China's robobuses and robotaxis are coming to Europe

You may already have come across or used autonomous vehicles in Europe, which mainly serve as small closed-circuit shuttles for the time being. As legislation adapts to these new technologies, China's WeRide and Baidu are stepping up their efforts to gain a foothold in the market, starting with pilot projects and strategic partnerships in France and Switzerland.

Driverless vehicle

Japan's 7-Eleven trials autonomous delivery robots

Japan's 7-Eleven began trialling autonomous delivery robots in a Tokyo suburb for the first time on May 19 to test their viability in the rapidly ageing country.

Technology

Wolfspeed prepares to file for bankruptcy within weeks, WSJ reports

(Reuters) -Semiconductor supplier Wolfspeed is preparing to file for bankruptcy within weeks, as it struggles to address its debt pile, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Technology

SEC charges Unicoin and executives for fraud

(Reuters) -The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday charged cryptocurrency company Unicoin and three of its top executives, including its CEO and Board Chairman Alex Konanykhin, for false and misleading statements that raised more than $100 million from thousands of investors.

Technology

Tesla on track to launch robotaxi trial in Austin, Texas, by June end, Musk says

(Reuters) -Tesla is set to begin a test of its long-promised robotaxi service on schedule in Austin, Texas, by the end of June, Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Tuesday, even as the company faces safety questions from a U.S. regulator.

Technology

Massachusetts college student to plead guilty to PowerSchool data breach

BOSTON (Reuters) -A Massachusetts college student has agreed to plead guilty to hacking cloud-based education software provider PowerSchool and stealing data pertaining to millions of students and teachers that hackers used to extort the company and school districts into paying ransoms.

Technology

Andreessen Horowitz-backed studio Promise partners with Google on AI, adds investors

(Reuters) -Generative AI studio Promise, backed by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, said on Tuesday that it had partnered with Alphabet's Google to use its AI technologies.

Technology

Google pushes AI upgrades, subscriptions at annual I/O developer event amid search challenges

MOUNTAIN VIEW, California (Reuters) -Alphabet's Google said on Tuesday it would put artificial intelligence into the hands of more Web surfers while teasing a $249.99-a-month subscription for its AI power users, its latest effort to fend off growing competition from startups like OpenAI.

Technology

Stablecoins stoke volatility in Brazil capital flows, says central banker

LONDON (Reuters) -The surge in popularity of U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins as a way of transferring money abroad is increasing the volatility of Brazilian capital flows, Brazil's central bank deputy governor said on Tuesday.

Technology

WeRide joins Tencent Cloud to build smart driving services for overseas markets

BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese self-driving startup WeRide said on Tuesday that it will partner with Tencent Cloud to promote large-scale robotaxi commercial operations and build smart driving solutions for overseas markets.

Technology

Exclusive-Ray Kurzweil's humanoid robot startup in talks for $100 million investment

(Reuters) -A humanoid robotics startup co-founded by prominent artificial-intelligence futurist Ray Kurzweil said on Tuesday that venture capital firm Gauntlet Ventures will back its $100 million Series B funding round.

Technology

AI poses a bigger threat to women's work, than men's, says report

GENEVA (Reuters) -Jobs traditionally done by women are more vulnerable to the impact of artificial intelligence than those done by men, especially in high-income countries, a report by the United Nations' International Labour Organization showed on Tuesday.

Gig economy

Grab, GoTo targeted by Indonesia drivers’ protest for better pay

Grab Holdings Ltd and GoTo Group ride-hailing and delivery services are set to be disrupted on May 20 in Indonesia, their biggest market, with tens of thousands of drivers preparing to protest over compensation and other terms.

Technology

Exclusive-Intel explores sale of networking and edge unit, sources say

TAIPEI/SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Intel has considered divesting its network and edge businesses as the chipmaker looks to shave off parts of the company its new chief executive does not see as crucial, three sources familiar with the matter said.