Apple is reportedly gearing up to take on Meta in the burgeoning mixed-reality and smart glasses market. The tech giant is developing a more affordable version of its Vision Pro headset, set to launch next year, along with a second-generation Vision Pro and even smart glasses to compete with Meta’s Ray-Bans. This aggressive move comes as Apple faces criticisms about its current VR offering, which has been deemed expensive, heavy, and prone to overheating.
This week saw a whirlwind of AI advancements, from Nobel Prize-winning research to AI-powered chatbots and image generators. Discover how Google’s AI is shaping scientific discoveries, how Adobe is combating AI-generated art, and how Zoom and Amazon are integrating AI into their products.
Meta Platforms has taken down a network of fake accounts targeting Russian-speaking voters in Moldova ahead of the country’s presidential election. The accounts, posing as independent news outlets, aimed to influence voters against a pro-EU candidate and supported pro-Russia parties. Moldovan authorities have also blocked Telegram channels and chat bots linked to similar efforts, uncovering a potential scheme to bribe voters.
Meta’s new AI-powered Ray-Ban sunglasses, featuring a built-in camera, raise concerns about data privacy. While Meta claims images and videos captured by the glasses are only used for AI training when users actively engage with the feature, questions remain about the extent of data collection and user consent. The lack of transparency from Meta about its data practices raises concerns about the potential for misuse of collected data.
Meta Platforms and Palantir Technologies have both experienced significant gains since September, but their future prospects are different. Meta, while at an all-time high, is valued at a more modest P/E ratio, while Palantir, despite its recent performance, is still below its 2021 peak. This article explores the factors driving their growth and analyzes the potential for future upside.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has climbed to the second spot on the world’s richest people list, surpassing Jeff Bezos and Bernard Arnault. His net worth has surged to $206 billion, thanks to a significant rise in Meta’s share price and the growing success of its AI initiatives. This puts him behind only Elon Musk, who holds the top spot with $256 billion.
Meta has introduced Movie Gen, an advanced AI model capable of generating realistic videos from text prompts. Movie Gen surpasses competitors like OpenAI’s Sora in quality and offers features such as synchronized music, video editing, and personalized video creation.
Revolut, a UK-based fintech company, has publicly criticized Meta for its inadequate response to fraud on its platforms. Revolut’s head of financial crime, Woody Malouf, argues that Meta’s data-sharing initiative is insufficient and that the company should bear responsibility for reimbursing victims of scams. Revolut’s report reveals that a significant portion of fraud cases reported by UK customers originate from Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram, prompting calls for Meta to actively support victims.
The US markets experienced mixed performance on Thursday, with the Dow Jones dropping slightly, the S&P 500 closing almost flat, and the NASDAQ edging down. Palantir Technologies stood out with a significant gain, driven by a strategic partnership and insider trading. Amazon, on the other hand, dipped due to news of increased advertising on Prime Video. Meta Platforms saw a rise in share price, likely fueled by its content creator payout program. Meanwhile, Spirit Airlines dipped amidst potential bankruptcy discussions, and Tesla returned to growth with its third-quarter delivery figures.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has paid out over $2 billion to content creators this year as part of its efforts to boost monetization on the platform. The company has launched a new platform called Facebook Content Monetization, combining existing monetization programs into one platform, allowing creators to earn from a wider variety of content formats. This move aims to compete with platforms like YouTube and attract more content creators to Facebook.
