| Here's a look at today's tech briefing: - Elon Musk sues OpenAI, claiming it abandoned mission to benefit humanity.
- Apple won't block iPhone home screen web apps in the EU.
- Meta to scrap Facebook News tab in U.S., Australia.
Beth
p/beth-duckett | |
| 1 | | Elon Musk has sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, accusing them of abandoning the company's founding mission by placing profits over humanity. Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI who is no longer involved, claims that the original mission was to run the company as an open-source nonprofit focused on advancing AI for the benefit of humanity. More: - In the lawsuit, Musk said Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman convinced him to finance OpenAI as a nonprofit in 2015 to rival Google.
- Under the founding agreement, the company would make the AI technology "freely available" to the public.
- The lawsuit argues that OpenAI has since "transformed into a closed-source de facto subsidiary of the largest technology company in the world: Microsoft."
- Musk's legal team claims that OpenAI and co-founders broke the original agreement by limiting access to the company's tech to maximize profit.
- The lawsuit seeks a court order that would force OpenAI to return to open source and prevent it and Microsoft from profiting off the technology.
Zoom out: - Musk resigned from OpenAI's board in 2018 and no longer holds a stake, but he continued to fund the company until late 2020, according to the court filing.
- Last year, Musk launched his own for-profit AI startup, X.ai, along with its first product, Grok, a chatbot with a focus on "free speech."
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| 2 | | Apple has reversed its decision to block home screen web apps on iPhones in Europe. After a backlash, Apple says it will continue to offer progressive web apps (PWAs) in the EU. More: - Apple originally said it would drop support for PWAs in the EU through iOS 17.4 in March, allowing it to comply with the EU's new digital markets law.
- After that announcement, the European Commission began probing Apple's decision.
- Open Web Advocacy also launched a petition to urge Apple to keep the homepage web apps.
- On Friday, Apple said on its developer page that it will restore PWAs in the next public iOS 17.4 release.
Zoom out: - PWAs can be installed on an iPhone's home screen, send push notifications, and save data separately from a web browser.
- They behave like native apps, accessing device services and more without consuming much phone storage space, and keeping users logged into services.
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| 3 | | Meta will remove Facebook's news tab in the U.S. and Australia in April, citing low usage. Meta said it will discontinue the dedicated tab in Facebook's bookmarks section as it works to prioritize investments in products and services "people value the most." More: - People in the countries will still be able to see news on their feeds, and news publishers can continue to post article links on their pages.
- In a blog post, Meta said that "people don't come to Facebook for news and political content."
- News makes up less than 3% of what users view in their feeds, according to the post.
- Meta reported an 80% drop in Facebook News usage in Australia and the U.S. over the past year.
- The plan is to focus more on what users say "they want to see more of," including its Reels short-form videos.
Zoom out: - Meta already retired the News tabs in the U.K., France, and Germany in December.
- Facebook's news agreements in Australia, France, and Germany are still in place but won't be renewed when they end, while those in the U.S. and Britain have already expired.
- Over the last three years, social media-driven traffic to news sites has dropped due to Facebook and Twitter reducing the prominence of news links, according to Similarweb.
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| 4 | | Meta rejected Google's proposal to use the Android XR platform in its Quest headsets, according to The Information. In late 2023, Google proposed that Meta collaborate on the new extended reality platform, considering Meta Quest headsets already use a modified version of open-source Android. More: - The agreement would have led to Meta adopting and contributing to the new XR operating system.
- Under the deal, Google offered to give Meta access to more Android apps.
- But Meta turned down the offer as it could interfere with CEO Mark Zuckerberg's plans to "own the next computational platform for AR, VR and mixed reality," according to The Information.
- Google has reportedly kept the option for a partnership open.
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| 5 | | Android switchers usually prefer buying older and less expensive iPhone models compared to existing iPhone users, according to a Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) analysis. Android switchers, who make up about 10-15% of iPhone purchases each quarter, still represent a steady segment of buyers moving from Android to iPhone. These switchers are typically more likely to be male and have lower incomes compared to current iPhone owners, according to CIRP. 
What the numbers show: While many Android switchers still buy newer models like the iPhone 14, the analysis found that 29% of Android users chose older iPhone models last year compared to 21% of iPhone owners who upgraded. What it means: CIRP believes Android switchers choose cheaper iPhones due to budget constraints and being used to more affordable Android devices. Some may find basic iOS features and compatibility with accessories like AirPods to be sufficient enough, without needing the latest upgrades, according to the analysis. | | | |
| 6 | | Microsoft's latest Windows 11 update brings more generative AI capabilities to the OS. Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant in Windows 11 will gain new skills, such as the ability to adjust PC settings with a text prompt. More: - Copilot will also be able to activate battery saver mode, launch accessibility tools like Narrator or Magnifier, show Wi-Fi networks, check storage space, turn on the battery saver, and empty the recycling bin.
- Users can activate the assistant using an on-screen shortcut or dedicated "Copilot" key on keyboards on some new Windows 11 PCs.
- The Windows 11 update also adds a Generative Erase feature to the Photos app, allowing users to remove objects from images by selecting and deleting them.
Zoom out: - Manufacturers view AI as one way to revive dwindling PC sales by incorporating neural processors into the computers, potentially causing a new upgrade cycle.
- Canalys forecasts that 60% of PCs shipped in 2027 will be AI-capable, up from only 9% in 2022.
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 | AI and technology writer | | Beth is a contributing editor and writer of Inside's AI and Tech newsletters. She has written for publications including USA Today, the Arizona Business Gazette, and The Arizona Republic, where she received recognition with a Pulitzer Prize nomination and a First Amendment Award for collaborative reporting on state pension cost increases. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com. | | This newsletter was edited by Eduardo Garcia | |
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