It’s a wrap: News this week (Oct 28 – Nov 3)

There have been multiple developments this week on the tech front. From LinkedIn’s new AI features to L&T’s semiconductor investment, this is the list of the most important developments for a quick catch-up:

US’ executive order on AI

US President Joe Biden released an Executive Order on artificial intelligence this week. This executive order outlines safety, civil rights guidance, research, and impact of AI. The document says that AI must be safe and secure ensured by standardised evaluation of systems, policies, institutions, and mechanisms. This would help in testing and mitigating risks from the systems before they are put into operation. 

While the entire order will potentially have an impact on the global usage of AI, one of the main interest points for workers and students from India is that US would be establishing programs to identify and attract top talent in AI and other emerging technologies. The order seeks “to establish and increase connections with that talent to educate them on opportunities and resources for research and employment in the United States, including overseas educational components to inform top STEM talent of nonimmigrant and immigrant visa options and potential expedited adjudication of their visa petitions and applications”.

LinkedIn has 1bn users now

Professional networking platform LinkedIn has showcased a slew of artificial intelligence-based enhancements and features for its premium members. On November 1, the platform announced that it breached the 1 billion user mark and would roll out personalisation features helping a select group of premium subscribers in upskilling, job search, and networking. 

“Whether you're navigating career changes, building a business, learning a new skill or crafting your voice, your new AI-powered LinkedIn experience — your trusted coach, advisor, co-pilot, assistant, and colleague combined — is your partner in staying ahead,” said Tomer Cohen, LinkedIn’s chief product officer in a blog.

L&T’s mega investment in chip design

Larsen and Toubro (L&T) announced on October 31 that it will be investing ₹830 crore ($99.69 billion) to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary for fabless semiconductor chip design and product ownership. This foray into the semiconductor was announced by the company's chief financial officer R Shankar Raman during the second quarter earnings announcement. 

Raman said that the focus would be on automotive and industrial chip designing. The company is likely to have a research and development centre in the US and a few design centers in India. L&T will only be focusing on chip design and not manufacturing and tapping into the ‘talent pool of chip designing in India’.

Apple introduces M3 chips

At the Apple event 2023 on October 30, the Cupertino-headquartered tech giant announced the M3 family of chips. It comprises M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max, touted as the first personal computer chips built using the 3nm process technology that allows for more transistors to be packed into a smaller space. While the M2 chip has 20 billion transistors, the M3 has 25 billion. This number is even significantly higher for M3 Pro (37 billion) and M3 Max (92 billion).

ICMR data leak

In what could possibly be the largest data breach in India's history, personal details of over 81.5 crore citizens with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) are being sold on the dark web. The data includes crucial information such as Aadhaar and passport details, as well as names, phone numbers, and addresses, according to reports. 

In related news, on Tuesday, multiple top leaders of India’s opposition parties and several journalists received a notification from Apple, saying that they are “being targeted by state-sponsored attackers who are trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID ….”