AP Technology

AP Entertainment
January 15, 2025
AP Sports
January 15, 2025
AP Entertainment
January 15, 2025
AP Sports
January 15, 2025
AP Technology

AP-Technology

Biden’s big semiconductor law will ramp up US chip production — but at a high cost, report finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — A sweeping 2022 law, touted by President Joe Biden as a way to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign-made computer chips, will “sharply increase production’’ of semiconductors in the United States. But it might not deliver the best bang for the buck. Researchers at the Peterson Institute for International Economics calculated that the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act will create about 93,000 construction jobs and 43,000 permanent manufacturing jobs. But each job created will cost the government about $185,000 a year – twice the average annual salary of U.S. semiconductor employees. “More production might not provide the best security for the money,’’ the researchers wrote.

How mega-polluters take advantage of billions in green loans

Some of the world’s biggest polluters are reaping billions of dollars through a lax form of green finance, a new investigation by The Examination has found. Banks made $286 billion in sustainability-linked loans, or SLLs, to industries like fossil fuels and mining as well as corporations linked to significant deforestation, a data analysis by The Examination shows. But SLLs don’t require companies to spend the money on environmental goals or publicly disclose their benchmarks for success. In some cases, borrowers expanded polluting activities while they benefited from the loans.

SEC sues Elon Musk, saying he didn’t disclose Twitter ownership on time before buying it

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has sued billionaire Elon Musk, saying he failed to disclose his ownership of Twitter stock in a timely manner in early 2022, before buying the social media site. As a result, the SEC alleges, Musk was able to underpay “by at least $150 million” for shares he bought after he should have disclosed his ownership of more than 5% of Twitter’s shares. Musk started amassing Twitter shares in early 2022, and by March of that year, he owned more than 5%. At this point, the complaint says, he was required by law to disclose his ownership, but he failed to do so until later.

A possible TikTok ban is just days away. A list of other apps available

With a possible TikTok ban just days away, many U.S. users are looking for alternative social media platforms to help them keep up with pop culture or provide the type of entertaining videos that popularized the short-form video app. TikTok has more than 170 million users in the U.S., and if it does get banned, it’s not clear which competitors will benefit the most. Some experts think established social media platforms, such as Instagram and YouTube, could see the biggest influx of users. But some users are looking for something different and could turn to other apps.

Biden signs ambitious order to bolster energy resources for AI data centers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Joe Biden has signed an ambitious executive order on artificial intelligence that seeks to ensure the infrastructure needed for advanced AI operations like data centers can be built quickly and at scale in the United States. Tuesday’s executive order directs federal agencies to accelerate large-scale AI infrastructure development at government sites. The order imposes requirements and safeguards on the developers building on these locations. Federal agencies will also help facilitate the infrastructure’s interconnection to the electric grid and help speed up the permitting process. The Democratic president says AI will have “profound implications for national security and enormous potential to improve Americans’ lives if harnessed responsibly.”

Mark Zuckerberg will cohost reception with Republican billionaires for Trump inauguration

WASHINGTON (AP) — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg cohosting a reception with billionaire Republican donors next week for Donald Trump’s inauguration. It’s the latest sign of the Facebook founder’s embrace of the president-elect. The reception cohosted by Zuckerberg is set for Monday evening, shortly before the inaugural balls. That’s according to two people familiar with the reception who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss private plans. The other cohosts are Miriam Adelson, the Dallas Mavericks owner and widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson; Tilman Fertitta, casino magnate, Houston Rockets owner and Trump’s pick to serve as U.S. ambassador to Italy; Todd Ricketts, the co-owner of the Chicago Cubs; and Ricketts’ wife, Sylvie Légère.

Google faces more scrutiny as UK watchdog flexes new digital competition powers

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog says it’s investigating Google’s search ad business, adding to global scrutiny that the U.S. tech giant is facing. The Competition and Markets Authority said it will examine whether Google is weakening competition by stifling innovation, giving preference to its own services or exploiting user data. Using new powers to investigate competition in digital markets, the watchdog said it would determine whether Google should be given “strategic market status” that would require imposing remedies to change its behavior. The regulator said it will look in particular at Google’s role in shaping the development of new artificial services and interfaces such as “answer engines,” in ways that “limit the competitive constraint they impose on Google Search.”

US TikTok users flock to Chinese app Xiaohongshu in protest with TikTok ban looming

HONG KONG (AP) — As the threat of a TikTok ban looms, some U.S. TikTok users are flocking to Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu – making it the top downloaded app in the U.S. The self-described “TikTok refugees” landed on Xiaohongshu as an alternative to TikTok. Supreme Court justices are due to rule on a law that stipulates TikTok must be divested from its Chinese parent company ByteDance by Jan. 19 or face a ban in the U.S. over national security concerns. After the justices seemed inclined to let the law stand, masses of TikTok users began creating accounts on Xiaohongshu, which in English means “Little Red Book.” The app combines e-commerce, short video and posting functions and is popular in China and among Chinese diasporas, with over 300 million users.

Court lets Tennessee porn site age verification law take effect as Texas law goes to Supreme Court

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A panel of federal appeals judges has ruled that Tennessee can begin enforcing a law that requires pornographic websites to verify their visitors’ age. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals panel’s decision Monday came as the issue heads to the U.S. Supreme Court for oral arguments Wednesday over a similar Texas law. Citing First Amendment grounds, a district court judge had largely blocked Tennessee’s law from kicking in on Jan. 1 while a legal challenge continued. The Free Speech Coalition, an adult entertainment trade group, filed the lawsuit over Tennessee’s law and those in a half-dozen other states, including Texas. The coalition lists some 19 states that have passed similar laws.

Biden’s administration proposes new rules on exporting AI chips, provoking an industry pushback

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is proposing a new framework for the exporting of the advanced computer chips used to develop artificial intelligence, an attempt to balance national security concerns about the technology with the economic interests of producers and other countries. But the framework proposed Monday raises concerns of chip industry executives who say the rules would limit access to existing chips used for video games and restrict how much access 120 countries have to the chips tied to data centers and AI development. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says the framework is “critical” to preserve America’s leadership in AI and the development of AI-related computer chips. Microsoft says it can comply with the new policy.