Google's AI model faces EU scrutiny from watchdog over privacy rules

Google's AI model faces EU scrutiny from watchdog over privacy rules


The Irish watchdog said earlier this month that Elon Musk’s social media platform X has agreed to permanently stop processing user data for its AI chatbot Grok | (Photo: Bloomberg)


European Union regulators said Thursday they’re looking into one of Google’s artificial intelligence models over concerns about its compliance with the bloc’s strict data privacy rules.


Ireland’s Data Protection Commission said it has opened an inquiry into Google’s Pathways Language Model 2, also known as PaLM2. It’s part of wider efforts, including by other national watchdogs across the 27-nation bloc, to scrutinize how AI systems handle personal data.


Google’s European headquarters are based in Dublin, so the Irish watchdog acts as the company’s lead regulator for the bloc’s privacy rulebook, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR.

 


The commission said its inquiry is examining whether Google has assessed whether PaLM2’s data processing would likely result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals” in the EU.


Large language models like PaLM2 are vast troves of data that act as building blocks for artificial intelligence systems. Google uses PaLM2 to power a range of generative AI services including email summarizing. The company did not respond to a request for comment.


The Irish watchdog said earlier this month that Elon Musk’s social media platform X has agreed to permanently stop processing user data for its AI chatbot Grok. The platform did so only after the watchdog took it to court the month before, filing an urgent High Court application to get X to “suspend, restrict or prohibit” processing of personal data contained in public posts by its users.


Meta Platforms paused its plans to use content posted by European users to train the latest version of its large language model after apparent pressure from the Irish regulators. The decision “followed intensive engagement” between the two, the watchdog said in June.


Italy’s data privacy regulator last year temporarily banned ChatGPT because of data privacy breaches and demanded the chatbot’s maker OpenAI meet a set of demands to resolve its concerns.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 12 2024 | 7:30 AM IST



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India leads in crypto adoption for 2nd straight year, shows report

India leads in crypto adoption for 2nd straight year, shows report


Seven of the top 20 countries in Chainalysis’ global adoption index were central and South Asian countries.


India led the way in global adoption of cryptocurrencies for the second straight year as investors braved the country’s tough regulatory stance and steep trading taxes, a report from blockchain analytics company Chainalysis showed on Wednesday.


The report, which tracks adoption across four sub-categories in 151 countries, showed India ranked high on usage of centralized exchange and decentralized finance assets from June 2023 to July 2024.


India has taken a tough stance against cryptocurrencies since 2018, with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) issuing show-cause notices to nine offshore cryptocurrency exchanges in December 2023 for non-compliance with local rules.

 


“India has also got a fairly wide spread level of adoption across different assets of crypto despite restrictions, implying new participants to crypto would have been participating via services that were not banned,” said Eric Jardine, research lead at Chainalysis.


“Now we’ve started to see some of those restrictions get rolled back, for example with Binance, which is probably just going to amplify adoption in the country.”


Binance, the world’s biggest crypto exchange, was hit with a fine of Rs 18.82 crore ($2.25 million) in June a month after it registered with the FIU in an effort to resume operations in the country. Crypto exchange KuCoin had registered with the watchdog in March but faced a smaller penalty amount of Rs 34.5 lakh.


Seven of the top 20 countries in Chainalysis’ global adoption index were central and South Asian countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines.


Overall decentralized transaction volume carried out in retail-sized transfers, under $10,000 worth of crypto were recorded in countries with lower purchasing power per capita, the report said.


Trading was robust in Indonesia, which has banned the use of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment, but allows investment in the assets. The country recorded $157.1 billion inflows in trading of digital assets in the 12 months to July, the report said.


 

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 11 2024 | 10:50 PM IST



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UP to clear investment proposal worth Rs 10 trn, offer 25% sops: Adityanath

UP to clear investment proposal worth Rs 10 trn, offer 25% sops: Adityanath


PM Narendra Modi, Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw and UP CM Yogi Adityanath during the inauguration of SEMICON India 2024, in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh | (Photo: PTI)


The Uttar Pradesh government will soon organise the groundbreaking ceremony of investment proposals worth Rs 10 trillion, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday.


Inviting the semiconductor industry to invest in the state, the chief minister highlighted that Uttar Pradesh offers incentives such as land subsidies and capital subsidies of 25 per cent for chip units under a policy.


Together with the Centre’s incentives of 50 per cent, chip units can get subsidies of up to 75 per cent for investment proposals, the chief minister stated.


Addressing the international conference on semiconductors, Semicon India, Adityanath said that the state under his government has attracted huge investment proposals from the industry.

 


He recalled that a team which was preparing for an investor summit in the state earlier told him that investment proposals worth Rs 20,000 crore would come in UP.


“Same Uttar Pradesh after seven years has brought investment proposals worth Rs 40 trillion. Out of which Rs 10 trillion was done in February. About Rs 10 trillion investments are in pipeline for which we will soon do a groundbreaking in the state,” Adityanath said.


He said the state government has linked every incentive with employment.


“Uttar Pradesh has made available a semiconductor policy along with IT and Electronics Policy. Besides land subsidy, capital subsidy there are several other subsidies that state is providing which goes up to 25 per cent,” Adityanath said.


“If there is any Fortune 500 company then we are providing them land at cheaper rates. We have specially reserved 1000 acre land for these (semiconductor) projects,” Adityanath said.


Union Minister Ashwini Vasihnaw said that UP will soon see a semiconductor manufacturing in the state.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 11 2024 | 10:11 PM IST



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Tech wrap Sep 11: Sony PS5 Pro, Sonos Ace, JioPhone Prima 2, HMD 110, more

Tech wrap Sep 11: Sony PS5 Pro, Sonos Ace, JioPhone Prima 2, HMD 110, more



With the PlayStation 5 Pro, Sony is offering a mid-cycle enhancement to the PS5 gaming console. Revealed at a special event on September 10, the PS5 Pro features significant performance upgrades and some subtle design tweaks. It will be released in select regions starting November 7.


US audio device manufacturer Sonos has entered the Indian market with the launch of the Sonos Ace. These over-ear headphones mark Sonos’s debut in the personal audio sector. The Sonos Ace features support for lossless and spatial audio, as well as Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and an Aware Mode.

 


Reliance Industries Limited has introduced the JioPhone Prima 2, a budget-friendly 4G feature phone powered by a Qualcomm chip. Running on KaiOS, this device includes apps like YouTube, Facebook, and Google Assistant. It also supports JioCinema and JioChat, along with UPI and QR code payments through JioPay.


On September 11, HMD Global introduced the HMD 105 4G and HMD 110 4G feature phones in India. These devices provide access to YouTube, YouTube Music, and YouTube Shorts via the Cloud Phone App. Additionally, they allow UPI transactions without needing an internet connection through a pre-installed app.


China’s Huawei unveiled the Mate XT Ultimate Design, the world’s first tri-fold smartphone, in its home market on September 10. This device boasts a 10.2-inch OLED display that can be folded into a regular smartphone or a dual-screen foldable format. Huawei’s announcement followed closely behind Apple’s reveal of the iPhone 16 series, positioning Huawei as a direct competitor to the American tech giant, especially in China.


At the “It’s Glowtime” event on September 9, Apple introduced a range of new features for the iPhone 16 series, such as the Camera Control button, Apple Intelligence, and Visual Intelligence. However, some features will not be available on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro at launch.


Samsung is said to be preparing to include anti-reflective displays in its forthcoming Galaxy Tab S10 series, akin to those on the Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphone. As reported by 9To5Google, the Galaxy Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra are anticipated to incorporate this technology, although specifics on its application are not yet clear.


Microsoft has launched its new Xbox Game Pass Standard subscription plan for consoles in India. Announced in July, this new plan replaces the previous Xbox Game Pass for Console offering. It provides a balanced option between the entry-level Xbox Game Pass Core and the more comprehensive Xbox Game Pass Ultimate plans.


Samsung is expected to soon release the Fan Edition (FE) variant of its flagship Galaxy S24 smartphone. According to SamMobile, the Galaxy S24 FE is anticipated to debut in October alongside the Galaxy Tab S10 series. The new Fan Edition model is rumored to be priced higher than the Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. Leaked images indicate that while the Galaxy S24 FE will share a similar design with the S23 FE, it will come in new color options.


Google has rolled out updates designed to enhance tab management across devices. While Chrome already supports saving Tab Groups on signed-in desktops, the new updates will improve how users organize and access their tabs on phones and tablets.


Starting at Rs 21,999, the Redmi Pad Pro offers a practical everyday tablet experience with a vibrant display, impressive speakers, long battery life, and sufficient performance for regular tasks.


As India’s fast-expanding quick commerce sector gains traction, emerging direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands are heavily investing in this channel to fuel their growth.


Zoho Corp’s IT management division, ManageEngine, has been intensifying its focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), aiming to establish itself as a leader in digital transformation for IT services.


On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the importance of supply chain resilience for the economy and advocated for increased investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing, which underpins technologies ranging from smartphones to electric vehicles and artificial intelligence.


Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday that the government has begun developing the second phase of the semiconductor policy, Semicon 2.0, which is anticipated to be implemented within the next 3-4 months.


On Tuesday, China’s Huawei Technologies introduced a three-way foldable phone, aiming to strengthen its position against Apple in the world’s largest smartphone market with a new and increasingly popular form factor in China.


In a significant legal blow to Apple Inc and Google, the European Union has achieved major victories in its ongoing quest for Big Tech accountability. These rulings mark a key milestone in the EU’s efforts to curb corporate power and promote a fair market. Apple has lost its appeal against a €13 billion ($14.4 billion) tax bill, while Google has been slapped with a €2.4 billion fine for market abuse, sending a strong signal to Silicon Valley.

First Published: Sep 11 2024 | 8:03 PM IST



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Centre to get Semicon 2.0 policy in place in next 3-4 months: Vaishnaw

Centre to get Semicon 2.0 policy in place in next 3-4 months: Vaishnaw



The second instalment of the Semicon India mission, under which the Centre provided fiscal support to firms establishing chip facilities in the country, is in advanced stages and is expected to be out in the next 3-4 months, said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday.


Vaishnaw, who was addressing a press conference at the Semicon India event in Noida, said that the scope of the scheme will be much larger than Semicon 1.0.


The Minister, however, did not specify the outlay of the next phase of the Semicon programme.


“We are now at a phase where the 1st phase of the Semicon programme is practically complete. Now we are formulating Semicon 2.0, which will be a much expanded form of the 1st phase,” said Vaishnaw.

 


The Minister, during the press conference, also announced that the state of Uttar Pradesh will soon become the fourth state in the country to have a semiconductor facility. Till now, only the states of Gujarat, Assam, and Maharashtra have got a chip unit.


Vaishnaw also said that under Semicon 2.0, an equal focus will be on ecosystem partners, equipment manufacturing, fabs, ATMPs, and other segments of the overall semiconductor ecosystem.


Further, the Minister emphasised three key focus areas under the new scheme: attracting equipment manufacturers, promoting the development of specialised materials, and securing chemical supplies essential for the semiconductor industry in India.


Under the 1st phase of the India Semiconductor Mission, with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore, five chip projects have been approved by the Union Cabinet, with the total investment committed till date reaching Rs 1.5 trillion.


The approved projects include Tata Electronics’ semiconductor fab in Dholera, Gujarat, three chip packaging units by Micron, CG Power, and Kaynes Semicon in Gujarat, and an ATMP unit by Tata Semiconductor in Assam.


The $10 billion Tower-Adani fab unit, which was recently announced by the Maharashtra government, is yet to be approved by the central government under the India Semiconductor Mission.

First Published: Sep 11 2024 | 6:30 PM IST



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NXP Semiconductors to invest more than  billion in India as it boosts R&D efforts

NXP Semiconductors to invest more than $1 billion in India as it boosts R&D efforts


Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of SEMICON India 2024, in Greater Noida | (Photo: PTI)


NXP Semiconductors will invest over $1 billion in India, doubling its research and development efforts, the Dutch company’s CEO said on Wednesday, joining global names betting on a country looking to establish its presence in the industry.


“NXP is committed to double its R&D efforts here in the country in the next few years, which is far in excess of a billion dollars,” CEO Kurt Sievers said at the Semicon India conference near New Delhi.


He said the company is in talks with the automotive sector and other industries in the country, where it has four semiconductor design centers, with about 3,000 employees.

 


Though chipmaking is still at a nascent stage in India, it is a crucial element of its economic strategy, with a $10 billion incentive package allocated to bolster efforts to rival global chipmaking powerhouses like Taiwan. India expects its semiconductor market to be worth $63 billion by 2026.


Major players like Nvidia and AMD have established substantial research and design centers in the country, underscoring its rising importance in the global ecosystem that is aiming to reduce its reliance on hubs like China and Taiwan.


“India’s contribution of about 20 per cent of chip designing talent to the industry is growing and we are preparing an 85,000-strong semiconductor workforce of technicians, engineers and R&D experts,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the event.


In February, India gave the go-ahead to construct three semiconductor plants worth Rs 1.26 trillion ($15 billion) to firms including Tata Group and CG Power, as the country pursues its goal of becoming an electronics powerhouse.


Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said last year that the US memory chip maker’s planned $2.7 billion testing and packaging unit in Gujarat would help create about 5,000 jobs in the state.


Chipmaking equipment vendor Applied Materials said in June last year that it would invest $400 million over four years in a new engineering center in India.

NXP, in July, posted its worst quarterly revenue decline in four years and forecast third-quarter revenue below estimates, stoking demand concerns for automotive chips.

 

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Sep 11 2024 | 6:04 PM IST



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