Techmeme
December 31, 2023, 8:15 AM

Top News

Anil Dash / Rolling Stone:
In 2024, the internet is about to see the biggest reshuffling of power in 25 years, with a resurgent “human web” and regulators forcing tech giants to open up  —  The new year offers many of the promises of an online moment we haven't seen in a quarter-century … Everything is changing rapidly.
Aaron Tilley / Wall Street Journal:
A profile of Joe Kiani, whose company Masimo spent ~$100M suing Apple, as some say his aggressive use of the US patent system stymies the innovation of others  —  Joe Kiani has taken on Apple in a patent dispute that has cost his company millions of dollars to pursue.  So far he is winning, but the fight isn't over.
Jonathan Stempel / Reuters:
Filing: US prosecutors have decided not to pursue a second trial against Sam Bankman-Fried, as much of the evidence was already presented at the first trial  —  U.S. prosecutors said on Friday they do not plan to proceed with a second trial against Sam Bankman-Fried, who was convicted …
Cristina Criddle / Financial Times:
A look at the rise of AI-generated virtual influencers, with some charging thousands of dollars to promote products, leading to concerns from human influencers  —  Hyper-realistic ‘virtual influencers’ are being used to promote leading brands — drawing ire from human content creators
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Microsoft launches Microsoft Copilot for iOS and iPadOS, a free ChatGPT-like app that supports GPT-4 and DALL-E 3, three days after its Android launch  —  Just days after introducing a Copilot app on Android, Microsoft has rolled out an app for its AI chatbot on iOS and iPadOS.
The Information:
Sources: OpenAI recently topped $1.6B in annualized revenue, up from $1.3B in mid-October; some OpenAI leaders believe OpenAI can reach a $5B ARR by 2024's end  —  OpenAI recently topped $1.6 billion in annualized revenue on strong growth from its ChatGPT product, up from $1.3 billion as of mid-October …
Brendan Bordelon / Politico:
How effective altruism, described by some as a cult obsessed with AI doomsday, is influencing White House, Congress, and others' approach toward AI regulation  —  Effective altruism is increasingly described as a cult.  But as the movement's billionaire adherents pour money into D.C. …
Gary Marcus / Marcus on AI:
OpenAI and others will likely face more copyright lawsuits as systems like DALL-E produce copyright-infringing materials without attribution or informing users  —  A full of spectrum of infringement  —  At around the same time as news of the New York Times lawsuit vs OpenAI broke …
Justin Garrison / Justin Garrison:
An AWS developer claims Amazon is “silently sacking” staff by pushing them to take a different role that they would quit later, avoiding the need for severance  —  Amazon has a stock problem.  It's not only Amazon, but they have more to lose.  If you're a customer, that's going to be bad for your business too.
Rita Liao / TechCrunch:
Chinese robotaxi companies are shifting to less advanced but more commercially viable smart-driving solutions, as funding dries up and losses continue to mount  —  Losses push China's self-driving upstarts to seek new revenue streams  —  A few years ago, robotaxis were the darlings of venture capitalists in China.

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Featured Podcasts

Hard Fork:
Why Roomba Died + Tech Predictions for 2026 + A Hard Forkin' Xmas Song
The future is already here. Each week, journalists Kevin Roose and Casey Newton explore and make sense of the latest in the rapidly changing world of tech.
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Big Technology Podcast:
Sam Altman: How OpenAI Wins, AI Buildout Logic, IPO in 2026?
The Big Technology Podcast takes you behind the scenes in the tech world featuring interviews with plugged-in insiders and outside agitators.
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Access:
Betting on reality with Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour
A show about the tech industry's inside conversation, hosted by tech reporter Alex Heath and founder whisperer Ellis Hamburger.
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Lenny's Podcast:
The new AI growth playbook for 2026: How Lovable hit $200M ARR in one year | Elena Verna (Head of Growth)
Interviews with world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover actionable advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product.
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Channels with Peter Kafka:
"Neither Side Is Used to Losing." Lucas Shaw on What's Next for Netflix and Paramount in the Battle for Warner Bros.
Media and tech aren't just intersecting - they're fully intertwined. To understand how those worlds work, Peter Kafka talks to industry leaders, upstarts and observers.
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Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith:
Ted Sarandos: Netflix and how tech changed storytelling
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith speaks with leaders in government, business, and culture to explore the most critical challenges at the intersection of technology and society.
Subscribe to Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith.
 

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More News

Joan Westenberg:
Rebecca Bellan / TechCrunch:
A.O. Scott / New York Times:

Earlier Picks

Madhumita Murgia / Financial Times:
Tanya Snyder / Politico:
CNBC: