While a convenient way to send payments from one bank account to another, Zelle scams have been on the rise. In fact, according to the bank, “nearly 50% of scams reported to Chase originate on social media,” with many of these being Zelle scams.

As a result, Chase says it is taking action to crack down on those scams:

Alert, coming soon: For your protection, Chase will not allow you to send Zelle® payments identified as originating from contact through social media

The company explains further in its Zelle Service Agreement and Privacy Notice:

As a recipient or sender of any transfer using the Service, you acknowledge and agree that we may, in our discretion, (A) delay, block or cancel a payment, (B) put a hold on the amount of such payment to or from the Pay From Account or other account (as permitted by applicable law), or (C), charge back and/or claim a refund from you for the amount of such payment, for various reasons including, but not limited to, fraud, scams, suspicious or illegal activity, ineligible or improper payment, payment does not comply with our policies, network rules or terms of service, duplicate payment, incorrect payment (amount or recipient), or otherwise to meet our regulatory, network or other legal obligations. This may include, but is not limited to, payments identified as originating from contact made through social media, social media marketplaces, and/or social media messaging apps. For example, we may delay or hold your payment if we need additional time to verify your identity, the identity of the person sending or receiving the money, or details about the payment, or the payment may be delayed or held due to technical difficulties or circumstances beyond our control. If we delay or block a payment that you have initiated, we will notify you in your account online and/or through email or text message.

Chase’s measures illustrate the growing challenges involved in keeping consumers safe when non-traditional financial apps are in play.

Apple has been working to catch up with Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, and others in the AI space, introducing its intelligence platform in 2024. Basic functionality relies on the company’s own AI models, while advanced functionality relies on OpenAI models.

According to The Information, via TechCrunch, Apple considered a deal with DeepSeek before rejecting it in favor of a deal with Alibaba.

As AppleInsider points out, Alibaba may have presented a better option for Apple, given the wealth of data the company has access to. Alibaba also has deep ties to the West, given its close relationship with Yahoo over the years. That connection may have made the comapny a more appealing prospect for partnership than a company like DeepSeek.

Either way, with this latest deal, Apple is signaling just how serious it is about competing in the AI space and making Apple Intelligence a major player in the market.

Huawei sold Honor in late 2020 after U.S. sanctions against the company made it almost impossible to continue to effectively in the smartphone market. As part of the sanctions against some Chinese smartphone makers, Google is prohibited from providing its software and services to such companies, including its Gemini AI.

According to AndroidCentral, Honor has found a solution, tapping DeepSeek to power its smartphone AI assistant, YOYO. The move is a natural development, given that DeepSeek is both China-based and open source. What’s more, the fledgling AI service is challenging established leaders, such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.

Honor’s decision, as well as DeepSeek’s emergence, continue to raise questions about China’s ability to compete in the AI space, as well as the effectiveness of U.S. efforts to stifle that competition.

As OpenAI has expanded and improved its AI models, the company has adopted a naming scheme that can leave even the most experienced tech user scratching their heads in bewilderment. In a post on X, CEO Sam Altman says the company is going to simplify its product roadmap.

Interestingly, Altman says the company will not ship its upcoming o3 model, instead incorporating o3 and other technologies in the upcoming GPT-5. In the interim, the company will release GPT-4.5, which Altman says will be its “last non-chain-of-thought model.”

In a reply to a comment, Altman revealed that users can expect GPT-4.5 in the coming weeks, while GPT-5 will be released in the coming months.

People who may not understand the complexities of the matters being discussed will need clear explanations that break things down to the heart of the matter. Lawsuits involving tech issues can be difficult for non-tech experts to understand. In fact, even people in the industry might struggle to make sense of the high-level details surrounding a tech squabble.

People who aren’t familiar with the lingo of the industry might be at a loss for words as tech terminology goes right over their heads. That’s one reason for expert witnesses.

If you’re called for jury duty for a case involving complex technology issues, your head might spin. Lawyers from both sides will use terms you don’t fully comprehend, but expert witnesses retained by either or both sides can help you do your job as a juror in these six ways.

1. Translating Complex Tech Concepts

Expert witness testimony is essential in explaining technical jargon so it’s clear and easily digestible.

If the men and women on the jury don’t understand what’s being discussed or what’s at stake, they won’t be able to make intelligent decisions. Jurors will have help making sense of complex concepts to ensure the integrity of the legal proceedings isn’t jeopardized.

2. Providing Context for Digital Evidence

Whether the issue is phishing, ransomware, botnets, malware, DDoS attacks, data breaches, source code, authentication, or something else, you’ll want to know what they mean. It’ll be hard to help render a fair verdict if you don’t understand what the lawyer or witnesses said.

Expert witnesses with tech-specific knowledge can explain how digital evidence was obtained, attest to whether or not the evidence is reliable, and explain what the evidence means.

3. Clarifying Industry Standards

Jurors hearing cases about data breaches, source code, cybersecurity, software development, or other areas in the tech industry must know about industry best practices and whether or not these industry best practices were followed or ignored.

Expert witnesses are uniquely qualified to explain the norm and if there were any deviations from what’s expected given the circumstances.

Understanding industry standards and what the parties did or didn’t do will help jurors understand what’s at stake. You’ll be more confident as a juror when expert witnesses clarify industry standards.

4. Evaluating Patents & Intellectual Property Disputes

Patent issues in the tech space can cause a lot of legal issues. Harvard Business Review previously reported that big tech businesses in the U.S. regularly violated smaller companies’ intellectual property. It added that the U.S. government had projected that Chinese businesses ignoring IP protections cost the American economy up to $600 billion annually.

Patents are a regular source of conflict and often lead to problems in the courtroom. When jurors are asked to decide who’s wrong in such cases, they need expert witnesses to explain software copyrights, patent validity, and if patents were violated.

5. Assessing Technical Fault or Liability

In court cases involving hacking or IT failures, expert witnesses can provide information that helps jurors figure out responsibility and if negligence factored into the matter.

6. Interpreting Digital Forensic Evidence

According to the National Institute of Justice, almost one in two jurors expect scientific evidence during court cases. Specifically, 46% of jurors anticipate scientific evidence in every case.

In criminal cases involving encrypted data, deleted digital documents, and hacked accounts, expert witnesses can explain in plain language what forensic tools disclose and what the findings mean.

When it comes to legal cases involving technology issues, expert witnesses can help. If you’re called for jury duty, the information you get from these professionals can make your job a little easier.

That’s where AI agents come in.

Solutions like Borderless AI are transforming the way HR teams work, handling repetitive tasks, streamlining workflows, and freeing up time for the things that really matter—like building great workplaces and fostering a positive company culture. AI isn’t here to replace HR professionals; it’s here to make their lives easier.

But AI is also revolutionizing global hiring and workforce management. With remote work and global hiring on the rise, companies are no longer limited to local talent pools. AI-powered tools are helping businesses scale internationally, navigate compliance challenges, and hire seamlessly across borders.

Let’s explore how AI is transforming both local HR processes and international expansion.

Recruiting on Autopilot: Finding the Best Candidates Faster

Hiring the right people is a full-time job (literally). But sifting through stacks of resumes, coordinating interviews, and screening candidates can quickly become overwhelming. AI-powered tools streamline the process, handling the heavy lifting so recruiters can focus on connecting with top talent.

Automated Resume Screening

AI-powered tools analyze resumes in seconds, filtering out unqualified applicants and surfacing the best candidates based on skills, experience, and even cultural fit. This means recruiters spend less time drowning in applications and more time actually connecting with top talent.

Chatbots for First-Round Interviews

AI-driven chatbots conduct initial interviews, assessing candidates through text-based Q&As or even voice recognition. They ask structured questions, analyze responses, and pass along the strongest applicants—saving recruiters hours of phone screens.

Stat Spotlight: A LinkedIn report found that 67% of recruiters say AI saves them significant time in the hiring process.

Smarter Candidate Matching for Global Teams

AI doesn’t just look for keywords—it learns from past hiring decisions, improving its recommendations over time. This means HR teams can rely on AI to not only speed up hiring but also match candidates with global roles efficiently.

Global Hiring Insight: AI-driven platforms like Borderless AI allow companies to tap into international talent pools seamlessly, removing hiring barriers in 170+ countries.

Seamless Employee Onboarding—For Local & International Hires

Starting a new job is exciting for employees, but the onboarding process can be a tedious, paperwork-heavy ordeal. AI smooths the transition, making it easier for new hires to settle in while lightening the load for HR.

Automating Paperwork and Training

AI tools handle everything from digital contract signing to benefits enrollment, ensuring compliance and reducing manual errors. Some platforms even personalize training schedules based on a new hire’s role, helping them hit the ground running.

AI-Powered Onboarding Assistants

Instead of constantly answering “Where do I find this policy?” or “How do I set up my email?”, AI chatbots can guide new hires through the process. These digital assistants provide instant answers and connect employees with the right resources—without HR having to jump in.

Global Business Insight: AI-powered Employer of Record (EOR) services allow companies to seamlessly onboard employees in different countries without needing to establish legal entities in each location.

AI-Driven HR Help Desks: Answering Employee Questions 24/7

HR inboxes are flooded with the same questions every day:
When do I get paid?
How much vacation time do I have left?
What’s the dress code?

Instead of spending hours responding to repetitive inquiries, AI chatbots act as always-on HR assistants, delivering fast, accurate answers.

 Fun Fact: Companies using AI-driven HR chatbots have reported a 30% decrease in HR-related email volume within the first six months.

Payroll & Compliance: The AI-Driven Advantage

Payroll errors are the fastest way to frustrate employees. And let’s not even get started on the nightmare of non-compliance penalties. AI helps HR teams get it right, every time—whether they’re paying employees in one city or across multiple countries.

Automating Payroll Processing

AI-powered payroll systems calculate wages, taxes, and deductions instantly—reducing human errors and ensuring that employees get paid correctly and on time.

Staying on Top of International Labor Laws

Employment laws are constantly changing, and navigating different regulations across multiple countries can be a logistical nightmare. AI-powered EOR platforms monitor global compliance regulations in real time, reducing legal risks.

Industry Insight: A PwC study found that AI-driven compliance monitoring reduces regulatory violations by up to 40%.

Performance Management: Smarter, Fairer, and Less Stressful

Performance reviews can be… well, stressful. AI tools continuously collect and analyze performance metrics, making reviews more objective and data-driven.

Tracking Real-Time Performance Data

Instead of relying on managers’ memory, AI provides real-time insights into an employee’s achievements and challenges.

Personalized Development Plans

Some AI platforms suggest personalized learning opportunities and career development paths based on an employee’s strengths, goals, and industry trends.

Reducing Bias in Reviews

AI can help eliminate unconscious bias in performance evaluations by providing consistent, data-backed assessments. This ensures fairer promotions and raises, leading to a more motivated workforce.

Final Thoughts: AI & HR—A Dream Team for Growth

AI isn’t just making HR faster—it’s making it better. By eliminating inefficiencies, reducing manual workloads, and providing real-time insights, AI allows HR professionals to do what they do best: focus on people.

With AI as a trusty sidekick, HR can finally step away from the endless emails, spreadsheets, and compliance checklists and get back to creating workplaces where employees thrive—whether locally or across 10+ time zones.

What’s Next? AI in HR is just getting started. Expect to see:

• Predictive hiring that anticipates top candidates before they even apply.
• AI-driven career coaching that helps employees map out their next big move.
• Deeper integration with company culture & global HR strategies.

So, is AI the future of HR? Absolutely. And for HR teams drowning in admin work, that future can’t come soon enough.

The study was conducted by the BBC and looked OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, Google’s Gemini, and Perplexity AI. The study involved giving the AI models content from the outlet’s website and then asking questions about the news stories.

Deborah Turness, CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, detailed the study in a blog post.

Our researchers tested market-leading consumer AI tools – ChatGPT, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini – by giving them access to the BBC News website, and asked them to answer one hundred basic questions about the news, prompting them to use BBC News articles as sources.

Unfortunately, the results were less than encouraging.

The results? The team found ‘significant issues’ with just over half of the answers generated by the assistants.

The AI assistants introduced clear factual errors into around a fifth of answers they said had come from BBC material.

And where AI assistants included ‘quotations’ from BBC articles, more than one in ten had either been altered, or didn’t exist in the article.

Part of the problem appears to be that AI assistants do not discern between facts and opinion in news coverage; do not make a distinction between current and archive material; and tend to inject opinions into their answers.

The results they deliver can be a confused cocktail of all of these – a world away from the verified facts and clarity that we know consumers crave and deserve.

Why the Study Is Concerning

The BBC’s study is particularly disturbing in the context of the tech and news industries’ wholesale adoption of AI. Countless outlets have turned to AI “reporters” and “writers” in an effort to speed up production or cut costs.

Unfortunately, much of modern news writing involves writing about stories other outlets have already covered, while trying to put a different and unique spin on the news. As the study demonstrates, however, this is exactly the kind of task that AI is still ill-suited for, failing to distinguish between fact and opinion, hallucinating details, and making up quotes.

Companies looking to replace human workers with AI agents, especially in fields where accuracy matters, would do well to heed the BBC’s findings.

For more information, the study can be found here in its entirety.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

One of the most transformative uses of cryptocurrency is in decentralized finance, or DeFi, which aims to create a financial system that operates without intermediaries like banks or brokerages. DeFi platforms leverage smart contracts (self-executing contracts with predefined rules encoded on the blockchain) to offer traditional financial services, such as lending, borrowing, trading, and yield farming, in a decentralized environment.

For instance, platforms like Aave and Compound empower users to lend and borrow assets without needing a bank. Similarly, Uniswap and SushiSwap facilitate peer-to-peer trading of assets directly on the blockchain. DeFi applications are disrupting traditional financial systems by making financial services more accessible, cheaper, and faster, particularly for those without access to banking services. This empowerment is a key aspect of the DeFi revolution, giving users more control over their financial activities.

Cross-Border Payments and Remittances

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and stablecoins (crypto assets pegged to stable assets like the US dollar) are increasingly being used for cross-border payments and remittances. Unlike traditional international transfers that often take several days to complete and come with hefty fees, cryptocurrency transactions can be processed quickly and at a lower cost, providing practical benefits to users.

Ripple (XRP), for instance, focuses on streamlining cross-border payments for financial institutions so banks can transfer funds internationally in real-time, which is particularly beneficial in regions with underdeveloped banking infrastructure. 

Store of Value and Digital Gold

Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency, was often called ‘digital gold’ because it is seen as a store of value, similar to precious metals. This term refers to the idea that, like gold, Bitcoin’s value is not tied to a specific government or economy, making it a potentially stable investment during times of economic uncertainty. With a limited supply of 21 million coins, Bitcoin is designed to be deflationary, making it an appealing alternative to traditional fiat currencies that can be subject to inflation. During times of economic instability, many people turn to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as a hedge against inflation and political uncertainty. Countries experiencing high inflation rates, like Argentina and Venezuela, have witnessed increased cryptocurrency adoption as people seek to preserve their wealth outside of national currencies.

Supply Chain Management

Blockchain technology offers a transparent and immutable ledger, which is ideal for tracking products throughout their supply chain journey. By recording each step of a product’s lifecycle on the blockchain, companies can ensure greater transparency, reduce fraud, and increase efficiency.

For instance, IBM’s Food Trust blockchain network allows retailers and suppliers to track the provenance of food products from farm to shelf which enhances food safety by enabling quicker recalls of contaminated items and fosters trust with consumers by providing insights into product origins. Similar blockchain applications are used in other industries, such as fashion and pharmaceuticals, to prevent counterfeiting and improve traceability.

Tokenization of Assets

Asset tokenization refers to the process of creating digital tokens that represent ownership of real-world assets like real estate, stocks, art, or commodities on a blockchain. This democratizes access to investments that were previously only available to wealthy individuals or institutions, making the audience feel included and part of a larger financial ecosystem.

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and Digital Ownership

NFTs are unique digital assets that represent ownership of specific items, whether they are art, music, virtual real estate, or collectibles. Built primarily on the Ethereum blockchain, NFTs allow creators to tokenize and sell their work directly to consumers, enabling new revenue streams for artists and creators.

For example, digital artists can sell NFTs of their work, allowing buyers to prove ownership of the original piece. Platforms like OpenSea and Rarible have popularized NFT marketplaces, where users can buy and sell digital assets. NFTs are also used in the gaming industry to represent in-game assets that players can buy, sell, or trade on blockchain-based platforms. This concept of digital ownership is driving the growth of virtual economies in gaming and the metaverse.

Smart Contracts and Automated Agreements

Smart contracts enable self-executing agreements with the terms of the contract directly written into code. These contracts automatically execute once certain conditions are met, reducing the need for intermediaries like lawyers or notaries. Ethereum is a popular blockchain for deploying smart contracts, with a wide range of applications, from financial services to legal agreements and digital identity.

For example, in real estate transactions, smart contracts can streamline the buying and selling process by automatically transferring ownership when payment is confirmed, removing the need for escrow services. Smart contracts are also used in insurance to automate claims processing, where payouts are triggered by events (like flight delays) that are verified through external data sources.

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)

DAOs are organizations governed by code rather than centralized leadership. Members of a DAO make decisions collectively, often through voting mechanisms, using blockchain-based governance tokens. DAOs allow communities to self-organize and manage resources in a decentralized way, with every member having a say in decision-making.

Identity Verification and Data Privacy

Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize identity verification by creating digital identities that are secure, verifiable, and portable. Digital identities on a blockchain can give individuals control over their personal information, reducing the risk of data breaches and identity theft.

For instance, the platform Civic uses blockchain for identity verification, allowing users to prove their identity without needing to share personal data each time. Decentralized identity solutions are valuable for both businesses and consumers, as they reduce fraud and improve privacy.

Energy Management and Green Solutions

Blockchain is being explored in the energy sector to create more efficient and transparent energy markets. For example, blockchain technology allows consumers with solar panels to sell excess energy directly to neighbors in a peer-to-peer energy trading system, bypassing utility companies. Another application is the tracking and trading of renewable energy certificates (RECs) and carbon credits. By ensuring transparency and traceability, blockchain can help companies verify their carbon offsets, and consumers can be confident in the green claims made by companies.

Additionally, blockchain can facilitate the tracking and trading of renewable energy certificates (RECs) and carbon credits. By ensuring transparency and traceability, blockchain can help companies verify their carbon offsets, and consumers can be confident in the green claims made by companies.

Voting Systems

Blockchain-based voting systems are gaining attention for their potential to improve transparency and security in elections. Blockchain can provide a secure and tamper-proof way to record votes, reducing the risk of fraud and ensuring that every vote counts.

For instance, several pilot projects around the world have tested blockchain voting, including in the U.S. state of West Virginia for absentee ballots. Blockchain voting could increase voter participation by enabling remote voting while preserving integrity, which could be particularly beneficial for citizens living abroad or in rural areas.

The use cases for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology extend far beyond finance, touching sectors as diverse as supply chain management, identity verification, art, and even energy. As blockchain continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative applications to emerge, potentially reshaping many aspects of our daily lives. 

Senator Josh Hawley has introduced “Decoupling America’s Artificial Intelligence Capabilities from China Act of 2025,” a bill that would criminalize the use of DeepSeek. The bill is designed to prohibit U.S. citizens from advancing China’s AI capabilities.

A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit United States persons from advancing artificial intelligence capabilities within the People’s Republic of China, and for other purposes.

If passed, the bill would criminalize the import/export of AI technology from China. As a result, it is likely that the mere use of Chinese AI models, such as DeepSeek, would be considered a criminal act under the new law.

The bill includes stiff penalties for companies and individuals alike.

IN GENERAL.—A United States per19 son that violates section 2742 that is not an individual shall—

• (i) be fined not more than $100,000,000; and
• (ii) forfeit any license, contract, subcontract, grant, or public benefit awarded by any Federal agency.

ASSOCIATES OF ENTITIES.—An officer, director, partner, agent, or employee that violates section 2742 shall—

• (i) be fined not more than $1,000,000; and
• (ii) forfeit any license, contract, subcontract, grant, or public benefit awarded by any Federal agency.

INDIVIDUALS.—A United States person who is an individual that violates section 2742 shall—

• (A) be fined not more than $1,000,000; and
• (B) forfeit any license, contract, subcontract, grant, or public benefit awarded by any Federal agency.

If Hawley’s bill passes, it would be a marked departure from previous U.S. policy. Previous bans of Chinese apps and services, such as TikTok, have never gone so far as impose penalties on individual users. The fact that this bill would do that underscores just how much U.S. lawmakers consider China’s AI capabilities a threat.

According to Wired, the chatbot project is intended to enhance the efficiency of the GSA’s 12,000 employees who manage critical government functions, including office buildings, contracts, and IT infrastructure. Two individuals familiar with the initiative stated that Musk’s team hopes GSAi will not only assist employees with day-to-day tasks but also analyze vast troves of federal contract and procurement data to identify cost-saving opportunities.

From Concept to Execution

The idea of leveraging AI to modernize procurement and contract management is not new, but what sets GSAi apart is the speed and ambition behind its development. Thomas Shedd, a former Tesla executive now heading the GSA’s Technology Transformation Services, hinted at the initiative during a recent internal meeting. “Another [project] I’m trying to work on is a centralized place for contracts so we can run analysis on them,” he said in an audio recording obtained by Wired. “This is not new at all—this is something that’s been in motion before we started. The thing that’s different is potentially building that whole system in-house and building it very quickly. This goes back to this, ‘How do we understand how the government is spending money?’”

Originally, the GSA considered leveraging Google’s Gemini AI, but ultimately decided against it due to data security concerns and its inability to meet DOGE’s specific needs, according to one of the individuals familiar with the project. Google spokesperson Jose Castañeda declined to comment on the matter.

A Broader AI Integration Effort

GSAi is not DOGE’s only AI initiative. The agency has also been exploring the deployment of AI-powered coding assistants to help government engineers automate software development tasks. A document reviewed by Wired indicates that one of the tools under consideration was Cursor, a coding assistant developed by Anysphere, a startup backed by investors with ties to Trump. However, concerns over security and compliance led to the project being put on hold. Instead, DOGE is now reportedly advocating for Microsoft’s GitHub Copilot, which has a more established track record in enterprise and government settings.

Despite these efforts, DOGE has faced pushback from federal employees, labor unions, and congressional Democrats, who argue that the rapid AI-driven overhaul of government functions could present constitutional and security risks. Some AI projects have already been quietly halted, including at least one generative AI tool meant for broader government use, Wired reported.

AI Will Be Key To Cost-Cutting

Musk’s expanding influence in Washington has played a significant role in the administration’s aggressive AI adoption strategy. His proximity to Trump, who has ordered a sweeping removal of barriers to AI integration in government, has reassured investors betting on the modernization of federal operations. However, critics warn that prioritizing speed over security vetting could open the government up to cyber risks and potential conflicts of interest.

Meanwhile, the push for AI efficiencies dovetails with DOGE’s broader cost-cutting initiatives. The Office of Personnel Management, under Musk-aligned leadership, has encouraged federal employees to resign if they are unwilling to return to in-person work full-time. Similarly, AI-driven efficiencies in government procurement and IT management could be leveraged to reduce staffing costs and streamline bureaucratic functions.

A Turning Point for AI in Government

While GSAi remains in development, its eventual deployment could mark a turning point in how AI is used across federal agencies. The extent to which Musk and DOGE can integrate AI into government operations while balancing regulatory and security considerations will be a key test of the administration’s modernization efforts.

As the project moves forward, the government will need to navigate the complex interplay between technological innovation, regulatory scrutiny, and political influence. Whether GSAi delivers on its promise or becomes another stalled government AI initiative remains to be seen, but its development signals a clear commitment from Musk’s team to reshaping the federal landscape through artificial intelligence.

Arm and Qualcomm’s legal spat began when the latter acquired Nuvia, a chip design firm founded by former Apple engineers. Like Qualcomm, Nuvia was an Arm licensee. Qualcomm used Nuvia’s designs as the basis of its latest Snapdragon chips, including those powering the first-gen Copilot PCs.

Arm sued Qualcomm, as well as canceled its license, saying Qualcomm tried to transfer Nuvia’s licenses to itself without getting Arm’s approval first. The jury in the case sided with Qualcomm, finding the company did not violate its agreement with Arm. At the same time, the jury deadlocked on whether Nuvia violated its contract with Arm, leaving the door for another trial. Arm initially said it intended to pursue that option, but it appears to have changed course.

In a, earnings call, via Seeking Alpha, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon revealed that Arm has no further plans to threaten Qualcomm’s license.

Before I turn the call over to Akash, I would like to provide an update on the Arm vs. Qualcomm trial from December 2024. The jury’s verdict vindicated Qualcomm’s CPU innovations and affirmed that Qualcomm’s contract with Arm provides a license for Qualcomm’s products containing our proprietary Oryon CPUs in industries such as smartphones, automotive, next generation PCs, IoT, and data center. In addition, ARM recently notified us that it was withdrawing its October 22nd, 2024 notice of breach and indicated that it has no current plan to terminate the Qualcomm Architecture License Agreement. We’re excited to continue to develop performance leading, world-class products that benefit consumers worldwide that include our incredible Oryon custom CPUs.

The revelation is good news for Qualcomm, especially at a time when its Snapdragon chips are gaining traction in the Windows market. Amon revealed just how much of the market Snapdragon has captured.

We look at the United States, which one of the priority markets that we had, and the data show that the sale, within the sale of US retail of Windows laptops above $800, we had more than 10% share, which is actually consistent with the projection we made of how we’re going to grow under five years.

Given the importance and growing popularity of Arm-based semiconductors in the PC market, Qualcomm’s ability to continue making Arm-based chips is a big win for consumers, as well as the company.

Apple is one of several computer and electronic companies that have embraced right to repair efforts, providing documentation and parts for customers that want to repair or upgrade their devices.

In one of the company’s recent support articles, Apple lists the M4-powered 2024 MacBook Pro, providing a repair manual for addressing issues with the display, camera, keyboard, SD card, trackpad, USB-C, Thunderbolt, and HDMI ports, as well as battery, power adapter, and speaker/microphone issues.

Right to repair has been growing in popularity, with consumers and lawmakers pushing companies to make it easier for customers to repair and/or upgrade their devices. It’s good to see Apple including M4-based Macs this soon.

Reports first surfaced in mid-December that Honda and Nissan were pursuing a merger, one that would create the third-largest automaker. The merger would enable the two companies to better compete, as well as innovate in the EV space and meeting the growing challenge of Chinese EVs.

“Today marks a pivotal moment as we begin discussions on business integration that has the potential to shape our future,” Makoto Uchida, Nissan CEO, said at the time. “If realized, I believe that by uniting the strengths of both companies, we can deliver unparalleled value to customers worldwide who appreciate our respective brands. Together, we can create a unique way for them to enjoy cars that neither company could achieve alone.”

According to Reuters, talks are on the verge of breaking down over growing issues between the two sides. The biggest emerging issue is the equality of the two companies. Initially, the talks involved the two companies engaging in a true merger of equals. Recently, however, Honda has floated the idea of Nissan being a subsidiary, which could be a deal-breaker.

“The news saying that Nissan did not want to be a Honda subsidiary appears to highlight that control was a contentious issue,” said CLSA auto analyst Christopher Richter.

“Without being able to have control, Honda appears to be walking away.”

Reuters reports that a decision, which was originally slated for the end of January, has been pushed back to mid-February. Mitsubishi Motors, which is a Nissan alliance partner and was originally interested in joining the merger, has signaled it may no longer be interested.

ChatGPT Edu is specialized version of the AI model that is tuned for educational use. CSU’s adoption represents “the largest implementation of ChatGPT by any single organization or company anywhere in the world.” CSU will roll out the AI model to 23 campuses, giving it the distinction as being the first AI-powered university in the US.

OpenAI says the deployment will empower students in multiple areas.

The broad access to ChatGPT will allow CSU students to integrate AI into their studies, while faculty can use it to streamline administrative tasks, freeing up more time for teaching and research. This initiative will enhance the CSU experience and equip students with essential AI skills to succeed in an increasingly AI-literate workforce⁠(opens in a new window) and succeed in an increasingly AI-driven U.S. economy through AI initiatives⁠(opens in a new window) like:

• Next-Gen Teaching and Learning: Faculty can leverage ChatGPT for curriculum development and interactive course-specific GPTs, while students benefit from personalized tutoring, study guides, and information retrieval.
• AI Coaching: CSU will introduce a dedicated platform offering free training programs and certifications for all students, faculty, and staff, equipping them with the skills to effectively use AI tools like ChatGPT. This initiative ensures a comprehensive approach to AI skill-building across the university system.
• AI Workforce Readiness: CSU will connect students with apprenticeship programs in AI-driven industries, ensuring graduates enter the workforce with in-demand AI skills.

OpenAI touts the benefits of its AI models in the context of learning and research.

Just two years after its launch, ChatGPT supports over 300 million weekly active users worldwide. Among its most popular uses is learning. Students and lifelong learners rely on ChatGPT for tutoring, personalized access to information across different formats and languages, and the flexibility to explore any topic, anytime. Early research suggests AI can significantly enhance educational outcomes and career readiness: Harvard⁠(opens in a new window) researchers found that an AI-powered tutor, customized for a physics course, doubled student engagement and improved problem-solving, particularly for those with less prior knowledge. Meanwhile, a Microsoft study⁠(opens in a new window) found that individuals with AI skills are over 70% more likely to be hired, highlighting the growing demand for AI proficiency in the workforce.

“AI-powered universities” have also emerged worldwide, with institutions like Arizona State University, ESCP, Harvard University, London Business School, Oxford, and The Wharton School taking steps to make AI as fundamental to their campus as using the internet. CSU’s deployment takes this model a step further, ensuring that students across an entire school system—not just a single campus—have access to this transformative technology.

CSU clearly wants to ensure it is on the leading edge of AI’s transformation of education, giving its students a leg up in a changing world and job market.

“The CSU has long been known for our unwavering commitment to access, equity and innovation. To uphold our mission, we must ensure that our diverse students from across California and staff are ‘AI-empowered’ to thrive as our world evolves,” said Dr. Mildred García, Chancellor of the California State University.

Meta has been quietly emerging as one of the leading AI companies, but it is taking a far different approach than many of its competitors. While most companies are releasing proprietary AI models, Meta has open-sourced its Llama family of models.

One of the biggest challenges facing Meta, as well as the rest of the industry, is how to develop AI models that are safe and cannot be used in a harmful manner. Meta is a signatory of the Frontier AI Safety Commitments, and its new Frontier AI Framework is aligned with that agreement.

In the new policy, Meta outlines what its goals are, what catastrophic outcomes it must work to prevent.

We start by identifying a set of catastrophic outcomes we must strive to prevent, and then map the potential causal pathways that could produce them. When developing these outcomes, we’ve considered the ways in which various actors, including state level actors, might use/misuse frontier AI. We describe threat scenarios that would be potentially sufficient to realize the catastrophic outcome, and we define our risk thresholds based on the extent to which a frontier AI would uniquely enable execution of any of our threat scenarios.

By anchoring thresholds on outcomes, we aim to create a precise and somewhat durable set of thresholds, because while capabilities will evolve as the technology develops, the outcomes we want to prevent tend to be more enduring. This is not to say that our outcomes are fixed. It is possible that as our understanding of frontier AI improves, outcomes or threat scenarios might be removed, if we can determine that they no longer meet our criteria for inclusion. We also may need to add new outcomes in the future. Those outcomes might be in entirely novel risk domains, potentially as a result of novel model capabilities, or they might reflect changes to the threat landscape in existing risk domains that bring new kinds of threat actors into scope. This accounts for the ways in which frontier AI might introduce novel harms, as well its potential to increase the risk of catastrophe in known risk domains.
An outcomes-led approach also enables prioritization. This systematic approach will allow us to identify the most urgent catastrophic outcomes – i.e., cybersecurity and chemical and biological weapons risks – and focus our efforts on avoiding them rather than spreading efforts across a wide range of theoretical risks from particular capabilities that may not plausibly be presented by the technology we are actually building.

Meta breaks down exactly how it defines a critical risk AI and what action it will take in response.

We define our risk thresholds based on the extent to which a frontier AI would uniquely enable execution of any of our threat scenarios. A frontier AI is assigned to the critical risk threshold if we assess that it would uniquely enable execution of a threat scenario. If a frontier AI is assessed to have reached the critical risk threshold and cannot be mitigated, we will stop development and implement the measures outlined in Table 1. Our high and moderate risk thresholds are defined in terms of the level of uplift a frontier AI provides towards realising a threat scenario. We will develop these models in line with the processes outlined in this Framework, and implement the measures outlined in Table 1.

Meta also says it will evaluate—and respond accordingly—to the possibility that high and moderate risk AI models could advance to a high-risk model.

We define our thresholds based on the extent to which frontier AI would uniquely enable the execution of any of the threat scenarios we have identified as being potentially sufficient to produce a catastrophic outcome. If a frontier AI is assessed to have reached the critical risk threshold and cannot be mitigated, we will stop development and implement the measures outlined in Table 1. Our high and moderate risk thresholds are defined in terms of the level of uplift a model provides towards realising a threat scenario. We will develop Frontier AI in line with the processes outlined in this Framework, and implement the measures outlined in Table 1. Section 3 on Outcomes & Thresholds provides more information about how we define our thresholds.

The AI Industry Needs More Open Safety Policies

Meta’s detailing and documenting its standards is a refreshing stance in an industry that appears to be recklessly rushing toward artificial general intelligence (AGI). Employees across the industry have warned there is not enough being done to ensure safe development.

By clearly defining what its safety goals are, and committing to halting development of critical risk models, Meta is setting itself apart as one of the few AI companies that is putting safety first and foremost, with Anthropic being another notable example.

Hopefully, other companies will take note and follow suit.

According to an email seen by TechCrunch, Cruise President Craig Glidden informed the company’s roughly 2,100 employees of the news.

“As a result of the change in strategy we announced in December, today we will part with nearly 50% of our Cruise employee base, through a reduction in force,” the email from Glidden reads. “Anyone who has been through a reduction knows that days like this are extremely difficult, and today is no different. With our move away from the ride-hail business and toward providing autonomous vehicles to customers alongside GM, our staffing and resource needs have dramatically changed. Today’s actions align our teams to our new needs, and focus our efforts on continuing to build world-class AV technology.”

The layoffs cap a year of major changes for GM-owned Cruise. One of the company’s robotaxis was involved in a tragic accident in late 2023 in which the vehicle failed to avoid and hit a pedestrian that had already been struck by a hit-and-run driver. The company’s operational permits were rescinded in the the aftermath, over concerns about its safety.

While the Cruise eventually regained legal authorization to resume testing, the company never really recovered from the incident, and GM cut off funding in December 2024.

“GM is committed to delivering the best driving experiences to our customers in a disciplined and capital efficient manner,” said Mary Barra, chair and CEO of GM. “Cruise has been an early innovator in autonomy, and the deeper integration of our teams, paired with GM’s strong brands, scale, and manufacturing strength, will help advance our vision for the future of transportation.”

GM made it clear that Cruise personnel would be rolled into the company’s broader technical teams, but overlap was bound to be a factor. As a result, it’s not surprising the company is laying off as many employees as it is.

Given the number of companies working on self-driving tech, it’s a safe bet many of those employees will be able to find work with some of Cruise’s competitors.

Verizon’s deal with Google is an industry first, with the wireless carrier being the first of offer an advanced AI, let alone at such an affordable price.

Verizon isn’t just keeping up with the future — we’re building it. Being the first U.S. wireless provider to offer an AI-powered perk shows how serious we are about leading the way in innovation. And the value? Unmatched.

For just $10 a month, you’re unlocking your pass to Google’s next-gen AI with Gemini Advanced, Gemini in Google apps like Gmail and Docs, plus priority access to Google’s newest AI solutions — from new features to experimental models. These tools can completely transform how you work, learn and create. Whether you’re a busy professional looking for ways to save time, a student tackling big projects, or someone who just likes to experiment, this perk gives you tools that take your productivity and creativity to the next level.

“As the first U.S. wireless provider to offer an AI-powered perk at an incredible value, we’re putting the future of AI directly into our customers’ hands, making everyday tasks easier via Google One AI Premium,” said Sowmyanarayan Sampath, CEO Verizon Consumer. “We’ll continue to bring our mobile and internet customers new deals and even more ways to personalize their plans based on how they live, work and play.”

Interestingly, the Verizon plan appears to come with all the features of standard Google One AI Premium plan, including the 2 TB of cloud storage.

Get more done, faster with your personal tutor, analyst or coach. With Gemini Advanced, it’s like having a super-smart assistant by your side 24/7 to help you tackle tasks and spend more time on what’s most important. You can use Gemini in the Google apps you already know and love like Gmail, Docs, Meet, Slides and Sheets to write a draft, take meeting notes, create stunning presentations, visualize data and more.

Streamline your daily tasks. Create and use custom AI experts (“Gems”), for any topic, turning Gemini into your personal brainstorming partner, study helper or planning assistant.

Save hours on research. Analyze whole books and stacks of articles (up to 1,500 pages) or use Deep Research to browse hundreds of sites and create comprehensive reports in minutes to bring you up to speed on a topic.

Get more space for what’s important. With 2 TB of cloud storage, you’ll have plenty of space to keep your files, photos, and videos safely backed up to the cloud. Forget about running out of room or losing track of important stuff.

The announcement is good news for Google as the company continues to improve Gemini and compete with OpenAI and Anthropic.

An overview 

The XRP market is positioned for a price surge that is set to occur between August and October. Analysts consider the reason for this to be a breakout on the charts, as well as whale activity and the legal battles between regulators and crypto exchanges coming to an end. This shows that the ecosystem has started evolving and is ready to enter a phase of consolidation after the uncertainty that has dominated the marketplace over the past couple of years. As part of this growth, there’s a possibility that the XRP/USD pair will be able to record values that are near or even potentially above $1. This level hasn’t been achieved since 2021, so returning to it seems quite difficult for investors. However, with the right price movements, it is definitely not impossible. 

The breakout 

Consulting price charts is one of the most important things for cryptocurrency investors since they provide a more complete and comprehensive view of the ways in which values are bound to change. Savvy investors know how to read and estimate the movements more accurately, so if you’re new to this trading sector, it is best to heed their advice until you develop your skill set. XRP’s weekly chart currently shows that a symmetrical triangle has been in the making ever since 2018. Its main characteristic is the appearance of converging trend lines that are capable of compressing price action. 

Right now, the coin is testing the upper trendline resistance of this pattern, going for a successful breakout in order to go toward the following resistance level. Ideally, these movements could be completed in the upcoming months. But in order for this to become a reality, XRP needs to go above the $0.86 threshold. That is nearly 50% higher than its current prices, a difficult but not insurmountable barrier to deal with. A similar scenario occurred between January and March 2022 and then again in July 2024. 

Bullish run 

In spite of these apparent setbacks, most investors remain convinced that a bullish run is just around the corner. Technical indicators have so far supported this prediction, meaning that a price spike is not just the result of investors daydreaming about growth but rather an objective truth that can be verified by metrics and analysis. The RSI comes into play once more, showing a rebound after being stuck around the 50 level for a while. This clearly indicates that buying momentum is forming at the moment. Rising trading activity is also visible from the volume profile, with these movements typically being precursors to sustained price movements.

While the next bullish run might not yet be obvious to see, investors should nonetheless be ready for it. Coming up with a comprehensive strategy that keeps your portfolio stable and guarantees gains should be your top priority, but it’s impossible to achieve this goal unless you do your research and keep an eye out for market movements. 

Accumulation 

In the Bitcoin world, the accumulation stage refers to the moment when the prices reach the local bottom level, and so investors start buying in larger quantities. This occurs because the most basic rule of trading crypto is that you need to buy low and sell high. The same thing is happening right now, with data showing that many BTC users have accumulated large numbers of tokens over the last few weeks. What makes the current scenario even more interesting than others is that it is mostly whale investors who have been growing their lists of holdings. 

Members of the richest cohort, the investors holding more than a billion native tokens, have grown by almost 2% in 2024. This number is the direct correspondent of the drop recorded in the cohort that holds between 100 million and 1 billion as part of their XRP balance. The whales holding between one and ten million XRP have also been buying more tokens than before in order to consolidate their portfolios. This data is typically regarded as a bullish signal, as large investors generally grow their holdings in anticipation of higher price levels in the future. 

At the same time, they are also leveraging market influence in order to facilitate the development and continuation of these trends. 

Regulations 

2023 was a difficult year for cryptocurrencies as a result of the challenging regulatory landscape. US lawmakers wanted to find a way to ensure that the crypto space will be easier to navigate as a whole and that the risk of losing tremendous amounts of capital as a result of mismanagement is averted. However, it is easier said than done since the crypto space is entirely new for the financial landscape. That makes it more difficult to deal with, as it’s unclear what is the best place to start. The uncertainty created by this situation has impacted the market at a fundamental level, causing prices to plummet or stagnate. 

Yet, it seems now that this challenging situation could be coming to an end as a result of a potential settlement. XRP was not designated as a security when sold on exchanges but is considered one when it is sold to institutional investors who meet the conditions of the Howey test. This is a US legal framework outlined by the Supreme Court to determine if a transaction qualifies as an investment contract or if it should be subjected to regulations instead. Four criteria are taken into consideration, including the expectations of profit and reliance on efforts from others. 

If regulatory issues reach a favorable settlement once and for all, this will bring more clarity to the XRP environment and boost the price as well. 

To sum up, the outlook for the XRP marketplace looks optimistic, but it’s essential that the community remains attentive. Don’t make any impulsive decisions, or you could find yourself in a situation where the losses far surpass the gains. 

The AI firm announced the new AI model in a blog post.

OpenAI o3-mini is our first small reasoning model that supports highly requested developer features including function calling⁠(opens in a new window), Structured Outputs⁠(opens in a new window), and developer messages⁠(opens in a new window), making it production-ready out of the gate. Like OpenAI o1-mini and OpenAI o1-preview, o3-mini will support streaming⁠(opens in a new window). Also, developers can choose between three reasoning effort⁠(opens in a new window) options—low, medium, and high—to optimize for their specific use cases. This flexibility allows o3-mini to “think harder” when tackling complex challenges or prioritize speed when latency is a concern. o3-mini does not support vision capabilities, so developers should continue using OpenAI o1 for visual reasoning tasks. o3-mini is rolling out in the Chat Completions API, Assistants API, and Batch API starting today to select developers in API usage tiers 3-5⁠(opens in a new window).

OpenAI says its o1 models remains its flagship reasoning model, but o3-mini provides a specialized experience for those that need it.

In ChatGPT, o3-mini uses medium reasoning effort to provide a balanced trade-off between speed and accuracy. All paid users will also have the option of selecting o3-mini-high in the model picker for a higher-intelligence version that takes a little longer to generate responses. Pro users will have unlimited access to both o3-mini and o3-mini-high.

Interestingly, the o3-mini model outperforms o1 in some situations, especially within the STEM arena.

Similar to its OpenAI o1 predecessor, OpenAI o3-mini has been optimized for STEM reasoning. o3-mini with medium reasoning effort matches o1’s performance in math, coding, and science, while delivering faster responses. Evaluations by expert testers showed that o3-mini produces more accurate and clearer answers, with stronger reasoning abilities, than OpenAI o1-mini. Testers preferred o3-mini’s responses to o1-mini 56% of the time and observed a 39% reduction in major errors on difficult real-world questions. With medium reasoning effort, o3-mini matches the performance of o1 on some of the most challenging reasoning and intelligence evaluations including AIME and GPQA.

OpenAI also touts the speed and efficiency of the o3-mini model.

With intelligence comparable to OpenAI o1, OpenAI o3-mini delivers faster performance and improved efficiency. Beyond the STEM evaluations highlighted above, o3-mini demonstrates superior results in additional math and factuality evaluations with medium reasoning effort. In A/B testing, o3-mini delivered responses 24% faster than o1-mini, with an average response time of 7.7 seconds compared to 10.16 seconds.

The o3-mini models continues OpenAI’s efforts to offer a variety of AI models, tuned to specific tasks and uses.

Since the tragic passing of Steve Jobs, as well as the departure of Sir Jony Ive, Apple has been looking for its “next big thing.” Known for its innovation, the company revolutionized the computer, smartphone, tablet, and music industries. While that track record is a hard act to follow, the company seems to be struggling more than one would expect to deliver the next game-changing product.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has pulled the plug on its AR glasses, which were designed to pair with its Mac computers. Unlike competing products, Apple’s glass would have required a Mac connection. The glasses were seen as a way to apply the knowledge gained from the Vision Pro toward a more affordable, more approachable device.

As Gurman points out, the Vision Pro is an incredible device, but its high price tag and unclear role has led to slower adoption than Apple hoped. The company has reportedly been working on a cheaper version, one executives hope will address the device’s failings.

The AR glasses join Project Titan, Apple’s much-hyped attempt to build autonomous vehicles. As multiple starts and direction changes, Apple finally killed the project in Febuary 2024.

Tim Cook’s Legacy and the Shadow of Jobs

By all measurable metrics, Tim Cook has been an outstanding CEO. A logistical genius, Apple has reached previously unimaginable heights under his stewardship.

Despite his successes, it can’t be easy following Jobs. Known for his creative genius and design spirit, Jobs had an uncanny knack for understanding what customers wanted and recognizing a game-changing idea before anyone else. Once he saw it, he was able to market it like no other.

No matter how much Cook drives Apple toward financial success, it’s not hard to imagine the pressure he must feel to deliver at least one major, category-defining product during his tenure.

Only time will tell if the Vision Pro will be that product, or if Apple will pivot to something else in its quest for “the next big thing.”