Stability AI exec quits over copyright issues, Apple to improve texting with Android
A senior executive at the tech firm Stability AI has resigned over the company’s view that it is acceptable to use copyrighted work without permission to train its products. Ed Newton-Rex was head of audio at the firm, which is based in the UK and US. He told the BBC he thought it was “exploitative” for any AI developer to use creative work without consent. But many of large AI firms, including Stability AI, argue that taking copyright content is “fair use”. The “fair use” exemption to copyright rules means the permission of the owners of the original content is not required. BBC
Apple could be making a big step toward improving texting between iPhone and Android devices by adopting the Rich Communication Services standard in 2024. According to 9to5Mac on Thursday, an Apple spokesperson said in a statement that RCS — a more feature-rich texting standard that’s available on Android phones — will be coming to the iPhone and will work alongside iMessage. Apple did not respond to a request for comment from CNET. “Later next year, we will be adding support for RCS Universal Profile, the standard as currently published by the GSM Association,” an Apple spokesperson said in a statement to 9to5Mac. CNet
Elon Musk’s Starship will make its second launch attempt on Saturday after its first effort ended in a fireball minutes after blast off. The billionaire’s 390ft tall rocket, which has been picked to carry a mission to the moon by 2025 and is intended to one day take humans to Mars, will take off from a launch pad at Starbase in Texas. The last launch attempt on 20 April ended in failure after the SpaceX rocket’s first and second stages failed to separate, sending it into a tailspin and ending with a fireball. Telegraph
A few months ago, Google unveiled Bard, its Generative AI-based chatbot, which integrates with Google Search. It has been released in 180 countries since its announcement. However, it was restricted to adults, and it is now being made available to teens. And to make it available in a safe manner, there are certain safety measures. Starting today, Google Bard is available to teens in most countries where the AI chatbot is available. However, it is only available to those who have set English as their preferred language. SamMobile
The Wireless Power Consortium has taken the covers off the new Qi2 wireless charging standard, which promises to bring in faster charging for devices, particularly smartphones. The new Qi 2.0 standard ups wireless charging with compatible devices and chargers from 7.5 watts to 15 watts. Now that might not seem like a lot when the likes of OnePlus have 50W chargers, but those are based on proprietary tech that can’t be used properly with other phones. Tech Radar
Swedish workers are uniting against Tesla. From tomorrow, cleaners will stop cleaning Tesla showrooms, electricians won’t fix the company’s charging points, and dockworkers will refuse to unload Tesla cargo at all Swedish ports. What started as a strike by Tesla mechanics is spreading, in something Swedish unions describe as an existential battle between Elon Musk’s carmaker and the conventions they say make the country’s labor market fair and efficient. Wired
Meta called on US lawmakers on Wednesday to regulate Google and Apple’s app stores to better protect children, the same day that the Senate began investigating Meta’s failures to shield children using its platforms. In a blogpost titled Parenting in a Digital World Is Hard. Congress Can Make It Easier, Antigone Davis, Meta’s global head of safety, called for federal legislation that would mandate app stores to notify parents whenever a child between the age of 13 and 16 downloads an app, and would solicit the parents’ approval. Guardian
