Lots has happened this past week in the tech world! With the Hollywood actor strike ending, OpenAI announcing a new model, Toyota exploring international developments for the electric vehicle industry, and more, there’s much to catch up on. So, let’s get started!
Hollywood Actors Strike Ends
After 118 days, the longest strike in Hollywood’s history ended after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) made a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The terms of the deal remain undisclosed, but it’s predicted actors secured some AI protections.
The strike will officially conclude on Nov. 9. This marks a significant milestone as both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA sought fair wages and addressed concerns about AI tech in their work throughout the year.
THE #SagAftraStrike IS OVER.
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) November 9, 2023
🧵 Thread below. pic.twitter.com/KDTl9uKBRt
OpenAI Announces New Model
At OpenAI’s DevDay event in San Francisco on Nov. 6, CEO Sam Altman unveiled the latest version of the company’s tech language model, GPT-4 Turbo. The update introduces six significant enhancements to improve user interaction, expand the model’s capabilities, and decrease developer costs.
OpenAI also announced the launch of customizable versions of ChatGPT, known as GPTs, enabling users to create and share tasks or interest-specific AI without coding skills. Additionally, OpenAI is introducing the GPT Store, a platform where community-created models can be showcased and monetized based on usage.
Toyota Explores International Developments for the EV Industry
Following a meeting with Toyota executives, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced that Thailand will collaborate with Toyota Motor Corp to advance the country’s electric vehicle (EV) industry. On Nov. 8, the government stated, “Toyota said it sees the potential of Thailand’s auto manufacturing industry, especially in pick-up trucks and eco-cars.”
This development is part of Toyota’s plans to test its EV pick-up truck in Thailand, which boosts sales against China’s competition. Thailand aims to convert one-third of its annual production of 2.5 million vehicles into EVs by 2030.
Issues With ChatGPT Reportedly Caused by Attacks
ChatGPT, the widely used AI chatbot, faced tech disruptions on Nov. 8 due to a targeted attack. An abnormal traffic pattern indicative of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is the cause.
The attack occurred shortly after OpenAI’s milestone announcement of surpassing 100 million weekly active users during its first in-person event on Nov. 6. OpenAI is actively working to address and prevent future issues. Currently, OpenAI is still facing periodic outages for its users.
Mass Layoffs for Cruise Contract Workers
On Nov. 8, Cruise announced a round of layoffs impacting contract workers associated with its driverless ride-hailing service, with roles such as vehicle cleaning, fleet charging, and customer support.
A Cruise spokesperson told CNBC that the decision is due to the state of its supervised driving operations. The layoffs follow safety concerns and incidents, including a recent recall of 950 robotaxis and the suspension of deployment and testing permits by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
