Every day we wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and get ready for work. Following are a handful of stories from around the tech world condensed to fit into a single cup of coffee. These are the things you need to know before you step foot out of your door (or in front of a webcam) and into the real world this morning.
So sit back, grab a cup, and start your morning off right with a few “Quick Bytes” from Innovation & Tech Today.
Microsoft Plans to Add ChatGPT to Suite of Products
Microsoft is planning to add AI technologies, including ChatGPT, into its suite of products and make them available as platforms for other businesses to build on, Chief Executive Satya Nadella said at a Wall Street Journal panel at the World Economic Forum’s annual event in the Swiss mountains Monday.
That means OpenAI’ chatbot technology could be included in Word, Outlook and PowerPoint in the near future.
Microsoft invested $1 billion in OpenAI in 2019, and is in talks to invest another $10 billion in the company.
TikTok Agrees to Greater Transparency
TikTok has developed a reputation for being little more than Chinese spyware in the last few years. Now, as negotiations between the Chinese-based app and U.S. regulators continue, TikTok executives are trying a new approach: greater transparency.
Lawmakers recently called for a ban on the app in the U.S., sparking a $1.5 billion plan to reorganize the company’s U.S. operations.
“TikTok is hoping that details of its planned reorganization—and promised measures to ensure oversight of its content-recommendation algorithms—will convince potential allies in Washington of its ability to operate independently of its parent company, China-based ByteDance Ltd.,” the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
New Laser Tech Guides Lightning
Lasers. They seem to be the solution to many of the world’s biggest challenges; scientists recently used pulsed lasers to control a fusion reaction that could have major implications for the future of sustainable energy.
The latest “laser-focused” breakthrough uses the highly concentrated beams to safely direct lightning away from vulnerable infrastructure.
Scientists successfully demonstrated the method during a storm in Switzerland, showing that a powerful laser beam directed at the sky can create a “virtual lightning rod” that can divert the path of lightning strikes.
YouTube is Testing Free Streaming Hub
YouTube is looking to expand its platform by testing out a new hub of free, ad-supported streaming channels.
Technology may not be cyclical, but the move sounds a lot like cable with “extra steps.”
The Alphabet Inc.-owned video platform is in talks with entertainment companies about featuring their shows and movies in the hub of cable-like channels and is testing the concept with a small number of media partners. It could launch the offering more broadly later this year.
