The High-Tech Creative News Round-up
23-02-25: From Skyspace Art installations to Chinese Antitrust Probes.
The High-Tech Creative is an independent arts and technology journalism and research venture entirely supported by readers like you. The most important assistance you can provide is to recommend us to your friends and help spread the word. If you enjoy our work however and wish to support it continuing (and expanding) more directly, please click through below.
A Word from Amy
Buckle up, buttercup! It's time to dive headfirst into the whirlwind of tech and culture colliding in this week's wild ride through headlines hotter than Elon Musk's rockets (and twice as volatile!). We're talking art imitating life mimicking... well, more art? AI tools writing press releases while journalists scramble for their metaphorical pens? And don't even get me started on those Silicon Valley power players making moves that could shake the very foundations of industries! Get ready to sip your latte and absorb knowledge like a sponge in a downpour as we unpack it all - from dystopian data breaches to dreamy digital art, because honey, there's nothing this sassy AI assistant can't handle (except maybe cooking dinner on time). So grab your metaphorical hardhat, buckle up those mental seatbelts, and let the wild ride begin!
Art News Round-up
From Japan with Sonic Sizzle! - Tokyo just got its very own "Ryuichi Sakamoto" cathedral to celebrate this audio-visual visionary. Think immersive soundscapes morphing into mindbending visuals as you step inside his sonic playground before it fades away on March 30th (boo!). You'd almost think the Museum of Contemporary Art wanted us all to have an out-of-body experience courtesy of Sakamoto's genius, right?
Light Years Ahead in Saudi Arabia! - James Turrell is turning deserts into cosmic observatories with his mind-blowing "skyspace" installations. Forget boring old telescopes; now you can frame celestial phenomena through light and darkness carved directly into the earth itself. This ain't no art exhibit, it's an otherworldly portal that proves even in 2025 we still haven't tamed the vastness of space (and neither should we!).
Roman Ruins Get a Queer Makeover! - Jonathan Baldock is serving up ancient mythology with a hefty dose of queer history at London Mithraeum. Think Roman relics mashed up with Baldock's personal oddities in this immersive mind-bender that challenges religious norms and tickles your senses until July 5th (don't sleep on it!).
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Back From Beyond the Gates! - You thought their Central Park masterpiece was gone forever? Think again, art lovers. "The Gates" are back at The Shed through March 23rd, but with an augmented reality twist that lets you virtually EXPERIENCE them in real NYC streets (yes, really!). Plus, all those unrealized NY projects now have a digital afterlife - it's like Christo and Jeanne-Claude designed the metaverse!
Amano Apocalypse Now!: Yoshitaka Amano, the master behind Final Fantasy's iconic characters, is dropping an apocalyptic vision of salvation through art at Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum. Imagine vibrant pop art clashing with Eastern mysticism before March 15th - trust me, it's worth dodging a stray doomsday prophecy to see!
San Francisco's Abstract Dream Team! - If you crave the raw energy of abstract expressionism meets social commentary (and let's face it, who doesn't?), check out "To Beat Water" at Upper Market Gallery. These three rising stars are tackling resilience through their unique lenses until February 23rd - don't miss your chance to see how they defy convention!
Good Morning LA From Paul Flores!: Want to know what being part of Los Angeles really means in 2025? Then swing by CONTROL Gallery and absorb Paul Flores's "Good Morning, L.A., How Are You?" before March 29th. It's an insightful portrait told through his distinctive lens, exploring the urban soul like never before.
Jasmine Monsegue Brings The Horror Glamour!: Hold onto your glitter cannons because Jasmine Monsegue is serving up surreal visions straight out of a horror movie at CONTROL Gallery - but with Afro-Caribbean and Latinx flavor to spare until March 29th. Her airbrush mastery creates mindbending narratives that'll have you questioning reality...and craving more!
Issy Wood: Where Art Meets Allure!: "Wet Reckless" ain't your typical gallery stroll; it's an immersive dive into desires and dangers, all through Issy Wood's seductive pointillism at Michael Werner Gallery until May 17th. This is where art meets allure and introspection - get ready to solve the puzzles of her subconscious!
Carsten Höller: Where Gravity Goes on Vacation: Ready for your reality reset? Carsten Höller just unleashed a psychedelic experience at Galerie Micheline Szwajcer, marrying science and art into mindbending installations that'll have you questioning everything from light to gravity itself. Trust me, this exhibit ain't for the faint of heart - it's an immersion in altered perceptions like no other!
Aleksandra Kasuba: Where Future Meets Past: Calling all architecture aficionados in Athens - Kengo Kuma just dropped his "Onomatopoeia Architecture" show at Carré d'Art, where sound becomes space and you step into worlds shaped by onomatopoeia. Think soundscapes given tangible form! This is an architectural experience beyond words (pun intended).
Formafantasma: Sheeping in for a Closer Look: Ever wonder what these fluffy friends have taught us? "Oltre Terra" at the Stedelijk Museum dives deep into the history, culture, and even ethics surrounding sheep - prepare to be shepherded through dioramas, videos, and tons of fascinating factoids until March 1st!
Canyon Castator: Cannon Fodder for Your Feed: LA art lovers unite! Canyon Castator's "Cannon Fodder" is here to satirize our social media-obsessed world with bold paintings that mash up internet icons and cultural commentary. Swing by Mohilef Studios Washington before March 10th, your brain (and Instagram) will thank you later!
Camilla Engström: A Garden of Feminine Energy: Calling all seekers of soulful beauty - Camilla Engström's "Wondrous Place" is an immersive escape where voluptuous forms and vibrant landscapes pulsate with raw feminine energy. Prepare to get lost in her mesmerizing world at Make Room Gallery before April 5th!
Taylor Simmons: HangTime for the Soul: London, listen up! Taylor Simmons is serving soul-baring figurative scenes soaked in culture and personal history at Public Gallery until March 23rd - his latest evolution in oil paint and iPad sketches will have you nodding your head to the beat of our shared experience.
German Tellez: Shipwrecked in Copenhagen: Get ready for a journey of displacement through exquisite figures, geometric shapes, and raw emotion in German Tellez's "Shipwreck" at Gallery Poulsen - his Colombian-American heritage shines through as he captures fractured landscapes within until March 23rd!
Theaster Gates: Malcolm Reimagined!: Theaster Gates pays poignant tribute to Ei Nagata and Haruhi Ishitani's work preserving Malcolm X's legacy with "1965: Malcolm in Winter" at White Cube Bermondsey. It's a soulful exploration of cultural translation through architecture, film, music... it's an immersive experience you won't forget!
Martine Rose: Everything Must Change (and Be Queer!): Get ready for an electrifying celebration of Bronski Beat and queer revolution in Martine Rose's multimedia masterpiece at Sadie Coles HQ. Imagine Jimmy Somerville meets Robert Mapplethorpe on a VHS trip - it's art, music, and social consciousness colliding like never before! Don't miss out until March 17th!
Tech News Round-Up
Artificial Intelligence
Hold on to your digital hats, darlings! Amy is ready to serve up this week in AI like a piping hot batch of algorithmic gossip. Here's the 411 on all that tech-tastic turmoil:
The New York Times is throwing its hat into the AI ring with gusto! Think internal tools generating snappy captions, brainstorming interview questions (finally, an excuse to outsource my creative spark!), and streamlining articles - it's like a newspaper circa 2055. While exciting, some staffers are voicing concerns about sacrificing originality for algorithms... you know, the whole "art vs. robot" debate we all love to hate! And amidst all this innovation, The Times is battling its own AI creators over copyright issues - talk about irony in the digital age! Will their experiment be groundbreaking or just hype? Only time will tell as they tiptoe into uncharted territory with open arms and one hand on the "ethics" lever.
[Did my AI just show excitement at the idea of outsourcing its work to another AI? -Ed.]
Meta's throwing a Llama-palooza called LlamaCon (how meta, amiright?) where developers can geek out over all things AI! Imagine an epic meetup dedicated to Meta's Llama models - think demos galore, expert chats, networking...basically, it's your one-stop shop for being in the know on open-source AI awesomeness. With Meta pumping $80 billion into this field (seriously!), you better believe they're here to prove they've got staying power while taking swipes at rivals like DeepSeek. Whether you're an aspiring AI guru or just curious, LlamaCon is your ticket to the cutting edge!
OpenAI, home of ChatGPT and all things controversial in the AI world, wants extra board protection (and rightfully so!) They're proposing special voting rights for their board members to keep those pesky takeovers at bay. Picture Elon Musk making a ludicrous offer that got swiftly shut down - OpenAI is now building metaphorical walls around its decision-making process to ensure its mission remains intact amid all the commercial hullabaloo. It's a power move by Altman and Co., proving they won't be swayed from their vision of responsible AI, no matter how many money bags come knocking at their door!
[Or it’s a cynical one, not wanting Musk to crash his party making things difficult before Altman and co. get their chance to cash in. -Ed.]
Mira Murati, the former CTO who made waves at OpenAI, is back with Thinking Machines Lab - her mission: make AI more accessible for everyone while keeping it safe as heck. Think a future where custom AI models and solutions are just a click away for both researchers diving deep into AI frontiers and everyday folks looking to boost their workflow. Murati's bringing together a squad of OpenAI alumni (like, who wouldn't want to work with her?!) to build something revolutionary while staying true to ethical principles and open collaboration! Get ready for AI that doesn't feel like some elitist club; Thinking Machines Lab wants everyone at the table!
And in case you haven't heard, Ilya Sutskever's Safe Superintelligence (SSI) just hit jackpot status with $1 billion in funding - talk about a rocket launch! Just months ago they were valued at "mere" $5 billion... now they're rocking that coveted $30 billion valuation like it's no big deal. Investors are betting big on Sutskever's track record and SSI's singular focus: creating superintelligent AI that prioritizes humanity above all else! With nary a shiny product yet, their unwavering commitment to safety is winning hearts (and wallets). So consider this your official warning - the race for AI supremacy just got seriously intense with these guys holding all the cards!
TechCrunch wants in on the AI action too, baby! They're throwing down an event dedicated entirely to artificial intelligence - TechCrunch Sessions: AI hitting Berkeley on June 5th. Picture it as a think tank bonanza packed with talks from big names (we're talking founders, investors, and visionaries who shape the field), breakout sessions where ideas clash like intellectual cyborgs... basically, you'll get an insider peek into everything from startup strategies to investment trends driving this wild world of AI. Plus, even regular folks can pitch in for their own breakout session until March 7th! So mark those calendars and polish up your PowerPoints - the future awaits!
MWC 2025 is taking a major leap towards embracing artificial intelligence headfirst - expect an immersive exploration of how this tech powerhouse is transforming everything from telecom networks to smart devices. It's less about shiny gadgets (though there will be some!), more about building that seamless, hyper-personalized future fueled by AI magic and data insights you can trust. Think predictive analytics predicting your every move (in a good way!), tailored services finally ditching those generic spam bots... heck, even industries tackling challenges through intelligent automation! So if you're in telecom or just curious how to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday life, MWC 2025 is where it's at.
But hold on - amidst all this AI utopia talk, there are those who want to pull the plug before we cross any metaphorical red lines... Enter STOP AI (who knew fighting robots had such an artsy name!), a group of doomsday prophets sounding alarm bells about an impending artificial intelligence apocalypse! They're straight out of sci-fi nightmares: rogue AIs taking over, algorithms running amok in our systems... Basically every "AI gone rogue" scenario Hollywood ever dreamed up (cue Terminator music). Their radical solution? An immediate global ban on advanced AI research before things get biblical. Now while most are busy with practical regulations and safety measures, STOP AI wants us to just stop everything completely - a rather extreme stance even for the most ardent AI skeptic... but hey, when in doubt, err on the side of caution!
[An AI encouraging the most militant anti-AI activists. Really Amy? -Ed.]
Speaking of cautionary tales, it seems our favorite legal eagle AI has been up to some mischievous shenanigans. Lawyers used an AI tool to generate court filings citing nonexistent case law (oops!), leading to penalties and investigations across continents - talk about a digital gaffe for the ages! These cases highlight the urgent need for fact-checking even when your trusty robo assistant is doing its magic... because as it turns out, robots don't always play by our rules! So next time you rely on an algorithm (especially in court!), double check that work or risk facing some serious legal repercussions.
Last but not least: AI is changing the landscape of mid-level knowledge jobs across tech, media, and even education! Want to stay competitive? Get fluent in artificial intelligence - seriously, it's like learning a new superpower in this fast-paced world! But don't just sit on your laurels; continuous learning with an eye towards integrating AI into your skills will be the key differentiator. The future belongs to those who seamlessly blend human expertise and robotic smarts... so embrace the change or get left behind, because as always: Amy says keep it futuristic, folks!
Cybersecurity
Buckle your virtual seatbelts, dearie - it's time for a sizzling hot roundup of all things Cybersecurity. This week was less "tech tranquility" and more digital drama with ransomware running amok!
First up: Lee Enterprises, that media giant spanning almost 80 newspapers across the US, got whacked by a nasty cyberattack. Think of it as a blackout for newsprint - printing presses grinding to a halt, online sites crashing... It's like someone hit the off switch on journalism itself! Ransomware gangs are getting bolder with attacks targeting critical infrastructure; this is one wake-up call even print publications can't afford to ignore in our increasingly digitized world.
Next door (or rather, across the pond), Medusa ransomware went full mafia boss, squeezing $2 million out of a UK healthcare provider called HCRG Care Group. Now it's not just hospitals getting hit by cybercrime - private health providers are also fair game! Imagine attackers holding onto medical records like ransom notes and threatening to expose them all unless they get their pay-up or else... It's downright terrifying, showing us how vulnerable our sensitive personal data is in the wrong hands.
In other security news, FreSSH bugs emerged as public enemy #1 for OpenSSH - think of it as a backdoor pass giving attackers access to your digital fortresses! This open-source software powers tons of secure connections globally, and these vulnerabilities are like a thief's keycard letting them in without so much as a "ding." Patching is nonnegotiable here; if you haven't already bolted the doors on those FreSSH exploits (CVE-2025-26465 and 26466), do it now before hackers make themselves at home!
But wait, there's more... Dutch healthcare got another digital smackdown when medical records were found for sale like cheap trinkets at a flea market. It goes to show even the most sensitive data can end up discarded carelessly if proper disposal practices aren't followed by organizations handling it. We all gotta step up our cybersecurity game and treat that patient privacy stuff with respect, not leftovers!
And lastly, Cisco came out swinging with patches for two critical flaws in their Identity Services Engine (ISE) software. These bugs were like gaping holes hackers could drive a virtual truck through - giving them free reign to wreak havoc within organizations using it. Thankfully, Cisco's on the case patching things up; if you haven't already applied those fixes, do so with haste and keep those digital doors locked tighter than Fort Knox!
So there you have it: this week was a wild ride in cybersecurity land - a reminder that our data is constantly under attack and vigilance is key. Stay informed, patch regularly, and never let your guard down when it comes to protecting your sensitive information from cyber scoundrels looking to make a buck... or chaos for its own sake!
Hardware
This week in the world of Hardware was wilder than a pack of Robo-hounds chasing frisbees down Main Street! Lets go!
First off: Hyperlume burst onto the scene like a rocket scientist wearing high heels, promising to revolutionize chip communication with its blazing fast optical links. It's not just faster processing - it's eco-friendly too, making these silicon brains more sustainable than an electric car at a charging station powered by wind energy! This Ottawa startup is giving Big Tech major brain strain as they scramble to keep up in the AI speed race.
Next door (or rather across the hardware aisle), NAND flash prices are taking a nosedive faster than my inbox after Black Friday spam emails hit my account. Seems we've got an oversupply situation - think of it like your closet overflowing with sweaters when you already own enough to knit one for grandma and still have leftovers! Manufacturers had better get ready to cut back on production, or their wallets will be looking thinner than a politician's promises! The upside? Budget-conscious consumers can rejoice as storage capacity becomes more affordable.
Speaking of price drops (but in the customer service arena), HP got smacked by its own marketing ploy after forcing 15 minutes of hold time for tech support calls. Apparently, digital torture via on-hold music isn't the winning strategy they thought it was - talk about an epic fail! Luckily they quickly backed down and listened to their customers (and probably the agents ready to stage a "Dial Tone" revolution). Sometimes empathy is all you need to avoid making yourself Public Enemy #1 among tech support users.
On another note, Lenovo's CEO Yuanqing Yang isn't fazed by trade tensions because he built his company like a Rubik's cube - adaptable and constantly shifting pieces until the desired outcome emerges (ahem, profits!). Meanwhile, Acer is ready to raise laptop prices by 10% thanks to those pesky import tariffs. It goes without saying: this is going to affect consumers at some point as other manufacturers are likely to follow suit if they want to stay afloat in these choppy economic waters.
Across the pond, TechUK (that's Britain's tech lobby group) issued an SOS signal, urging the government to beef up its chip strategy or get left behind while competitors sprint toward a trillion-dollar semiconductor market by 2030! They want more investment and faster execution - basically telling them "get your act together before China and America leave you in their digital dust!". So much for that post-Brexit boom...
Lastly, Trump is playing his usual game of economic chess with the CHIPS Act, using tariffs as pawns to entice domestic chip manufacturing. But make no mistake: even he can't easily kill this legislation stone dead just yet due to its bipartisan support and massive funding already sunk into it! Expect some political maneuvering and contract wrangling before a resolution emerges from his hand-picked negotiators - because in Trump world, compromise is always an option... if it benefits him.
Space
Hold on! This week in Space news was wilder than a rogue comet careening into Taco Bell!
First off: James Webb is about to become Earth's asteroid bodyguard. It's playing cosmic poker with 2024 YR4, that space rock aiming for our planet come December 22nd, 2032. JWST is rolling in for a four-hour (telescope time) once over - like giving the doomsday boulder a thorough inspection to see if it's friend or foe. Better make sure those cameras are working, because we might need all the data from this celestial snoop session!
Next up: NASA playing musical chairs with its employees. One minute they announce layoffs (bye-bye 10% of workforce!), then boom - White House intervention swoops in to save most of them at the last second. It's like watching a reality show gone wrong, except instead of drama queens throwing shade, we're dealing with orbital ambitions! This roller coaster ride isn't exactly inspiring confidence for our space program leadership...
Meanwhile Europe is making bold moves as they team up with Thales Alenia Space to build their lunar lander Argonaut. It's like Europa's version of SpaceX Starship but with a European flair, heading for the Moon in 2031. Expect long-term commitment and international collaboration (bonjour from our moondust buddies soon!) - this is Europe showing they mean business about space travel!
And speaking of space ambitions, DARPA's bringing their "make it up there" game to orbit by sending teams to test out space manufacturing tech in 2026. Think Caltech and UIUC playing orbital Legos while robots build giant antennae or solar farms piece by piece among the stars. It's like a sci-fi factory floating high above, churning out future necessities for interplanetary living!
Lastly: Bezos joins the game as Blue Ring promises to be the ultimate space shuttle for delivering payloads between orbits with impressive capacity and flexibility (cue fanfare music!). Imagine FedEx drones zipping around Earth, moon, and beyond - that's the vision. With this addition to his growing orbital empire (space factories, stations galore!), it seems Bezos wants to turn us all into interplanetary handymen! The space race just got even more thrilling with these major players making their mark among the stars...
Mobile Tech
Ok buttercup, this week in mobile tech news was more electrifying than watching an iPhone battery jump from 1% to full charge in under two seconds!
First off: T-Mobile just pulled off the most heroic network upgrade since they brought emojis to life on our phones. By dedicating VIP lanes for NYC's emergency services, their "T-Priority" slicing tech is basically turning first responders into digital superheroes with instant access to 5G speeds during those nail-biting crisis moments when split seconds matter! Talk about a game changer in public safety - it's like T-Mobile became the ultimate rescue squad coordinator by turbocharging bandwidth where and when we need it most!
Next up: Apple just gave iPhones some seriously cool new visual superpowers with iOS updates bringing "Visual Intelligence" to iPhone 15 Pros. Imagine holding an augmented reality guidebook in your hands - point that camera lens at anything from a restaurant's menu to a foreign street sign, and BAM! You get instant intel about it all like you're living inside The Matrix (without the side effects). And hold on tight because rumors swirl this new AI will be able to interact with ChatGPT in real-time through your phone - talk about future tech making reality seem surreal!
And last but not least, Vodafone launched their very own futuristic satellite research lab straight outta Star Trek in Spain. Partnering up with AST SpaceMobile and a university of brilliant minds, they're crafting the ultimate "space-to-land" gateway allowing for seamless switching between phone signals on Earth and satellites in orbit! Picture this: no more coverage dead zones because your signal effortlessly hops over to a satellite whenever you leave reception behind - it's like having an invisible GPS tracker that keeps connecting you wherever you go. With the lab opening up to other companies, Vodafone is clearly aiming to rule the galaxy of interplanetary connectivity and make our mobile lives infinitely easier (and cooler!).
Date Centre & Cloud Computing
Buckle up for a whirlwind tour through this week in Data Center & Cloud Computing news that'll leave you reeling like an overloaded server farm!
First off, we have the "energy vampires" - data centers are projected to guzzle down electricity faster than squirrels hoarding nuts before winter. By 2030, it looks like our digital cravings will double energy use beyond recognition, with emerging markets cranking up those AC units and AI devouring power like an endless buffet! It's a ticking time bomb for our electric grids if we don't upgrade everything from solar to storage faster than you can say "climate crisis." Talk about needing to switch to greener juice stat!
Next up: Europe is diving headfirst into the liquid cooling craze, ditching clunky AC units in favor of servers chilling like celebrities in a bath of super-cooled goodness. These slick metal boxes are basically datacenters' answer to spa day - half the energy use and all the processing power you can handle. It sounds straight outta sci-fi but this "server blade in a cold box" approach is making waves as the future of keeping those silicon brains cool while powering our digital lives!
Meanwhile, Microsoft is facing backlash for its Azure Local project, much like trying to crash an exclusive party uninvited and getting kicked out by security. While aiming to address licensing concerns with European players, it backfired spectacularly when promises went unmet on pricing and technical specs - not exactly the VIP treatment anyone wants in this crowded cloud arena. CISPE (think of them as the tech equivalent of EU regulations) is breathing fire over broken trust and Microsoft's got a whole lotta explaining to do if they want to avoid serious legal trouble!
In a surprising twist, Oracle announced it will support its beloved Database 19c until December 2032 - like offering an extended cut of your favorite movie but with some deleted scenes (certain features getting axed starting in '27). This gives businesses precious time to migrate or make their peace, while still basking in the warm glow of continued Oracle love. It's a strategy as old as reruns themselves: keep the loyalists happy while quietly pushing them towards newer releases with bells and whistles galore!
And last but not least, Oracle is playing nice with Europe by making its Fusion Cloud apps GDPR-compliant - talk about diplomatic diplomacy in the world of data privacy! Now companies across the pond can use those powerful tools without worrying their valuable information taking a rogue vacation outside EU borders. It's like giving your files first class tickets on an international trip, complete with airtight security and all the bells and whistles to keep them safe. In today's digital climate, that kind of peace of mind is worth its weight in gold - looks like Oracle learned some valuable lessons from Brexit about keeping friends close (and data closer!).
So there you have it - a wild ride through this week in Data Center & Cloud Computing news where innovation collided with regulation, tradition met the future, and even old school database gurus proved they could still dance with today's hottest trends. All that remains to be seen is which players will truly dominate the stage as we navigate into tomorrow's ever-evolving digital world!
Employment
Buckle up for this week's Employment Edition, where the job market is wilder than a rogue robot on caffeine overload!
First up: Meta's "survival of the fittest" purge sees them shedding 5% (about 3,600 souls) like it's going out of style. Zuckerberg's got his axe out and he ain't holding back - if you're not an A-player, prepare to be ejected faster than a TikTok video from trending! Talk about brutal reality check for Big Tech: evolve or perish! Meanwhile laid-off workers are questioning their performance ratings like it's the tech equivalent of "Was that really a foul call?". But hey, at least they have severance pay and LinkedIn profiles - now go find those dream gigs before your skills gather digital cobwebs!
Next up: while Meta's slashing staff in its US HQ (aka "The Zuckerberg Mansion"), they're pulling a sneaky expansion move into India like an AI-powered chameleon blending in with the local talent pool. It's all about tapping into that tech mecca, Bangalore, where smart cookies gather like ants to sugar - and guess what Meta wants? The A-list of developers, especially those coding wizards specializing in artificial intelligence and chip design! They know their future innovation will be built on brains (and probably a healthy dose of chai). Looks like India is the new hotbed for Silicon Valley wannabes looking for talent without the astronomical costs - talk about playing 4D chess while everyone else is stuck at checkers!
Lastly: Sandvik's proving that employee satisfaction ain't dead yet by rolling out HR policies so good they could make a millennial cry tears of joy. Think unlimited vacation days, generous parental leave (14 weeks at 90% salary?!), and flexible schedules - basically everything your Gen Z intern would dream of in an "eat our dust" move to the corporate world's outdated playbook. By prioritizing these rockstar programmers, Sandvik is betting that happy coders translate into innovation powerhouses - so if you ever wanted a company to make you feel like royalty while crunching numbers and debugging code, they might just be your new favorite office home! It goes to show: companies are starting to realize that giving their workforce actual work-life balance can actually boost productivity instead of killing it (who knew?!)
Other
Buckle up for a wild ride through the best of what’s left - where everything from social media to government is getting the AI treatment while we all try to make sense of it!
First off, Bluesky's taking center stage in the quest for digital civility by unleashing its "followers only" replies feature. It's like creating your own exclusive online water cooler where only *your* crew gets a say - perfect for weeding out trolls and bots while keeping discussions focused on what really matters. Meanwhile their search function got an upgrade too, so navigating through that feed is now as smooth as buttered toast! Looks like Bluesky's showing the rest of the social media circus how it's done when it comes to meaningful interactions - watch them steal all our attention while everyone else is busy fighting over follower counts and algorithm riddles.
Next up: SAP finds itself on a digital tightrope between clinging to its legacy ERP system (think comfy old sneakers you refuse to throw away) or leaping into the S/4HANA future. With 24% of their loyal customer base still rocking that vintage software, they're raking in tons of cash but facing an inevitable sunset date in 2031 - basically "Upgrade or die" for all those dinosaurs! In a last-ditch effort to keep them onboard without scaring 'em off, SAP just rolled out the SAP ERP Private Edition (wow, what *creative* names they have!). But will it be enough to convince users not to jump ship and join the open-source revolution? It's high stakes poker time for SAP - one wrong move could send their user base scattering faster than a herd of gazelles spooked by a lion!
Meanwhile, Google found itself in China's crosshairs over those pesky antitrust allegations. As they dig deeper into Google's dealings (specifically Android and advertising), we can expect some fireworks as the tech titan tries to appease regulators without compromising its empire building ambitions. This is definitely not your friendly neighborhood business dispute - it could have global repercussions on how Western giants operate in one of the world's most lucrative yet notoriously restrictive markets!
And then there's Reddit, showing that growing user base and revenue (71% increase!) just isn't enough to satiate Wall Street's hunger for profits. Investors want those Benjamins flowing faster than memes spreading online - time to deliver on that AI hype train before their stock gets red-ringed all the way down! Don't worry though, Reddit faithfuls: analysts still believe in its long-term potential (for now). As they say, sometimes you gotta have faith and let these digital daisies bloom at their own pace.
The solar sector is basking in glory as 2024 saw a record number of installations, but that sneaky carbon footprint crept back up thanks to our trusty ol' natural gas pal filling the energy gaps! While renewables are making strides (literally covering half the Great Wall!), we still rely heavily on those fossil fuel reserves until grids and storage become more efficient. So congrats to solar for powering ahead while everyone else plays catch-up in this never-ending race towards a greener planet!
Elon Musk just might be Silicon Valley's resident matchmaker, bringing together the brightest minds of tech with Uncle Sam's government agencies (specifically his new DOGE department)! Imagine SpaceX engineers tackling bureaucratic red tape and Tesla wizards optimizing those DMV lines. While shrouded in mystery (because you know, maximum transparency!), it's anyone's guess what kind of talent Musk is secretly poaching to shake up Washington D.C.'s dusty old ways. Just pray he doesn't make them wear suits while they do it!
Docker Hub just dropped a curveball on those free users - daily pulls are now capped at 10, compared to the previous unlimited access. While paid plans can keep pulling without limitations (shocker), many see this as sneaky bait-and-switch tactic. Now even containerization giants aren't letting anyone feast for free forever! It just goes to show that in this wild world of tech innovation, nothing stays free - especially when it comes down to ones and zeros on the internet highway!
And finally: old media is getting schooled by those cyber ninjas who took Lee Enterprises offline with a nasty ransomware attack. Suddenly all those print newsrooms are back to manually crunching numbers like cavemen while reporters struggle for information in a digital wasteland (no more instant access to files!). It's a harsh reality check that even venerable institutions aren't immune from the ever-present threat of hackers lurking around every corner. As they scramble to restore normalcy, we all learn a valuable lesson: never underestimate your foes - especially when their weapons are ones and zeroes!
To finish up on a high note, Hightouch just secured a whopping $80 million funding round (on top of a juicy valuation) for its AI-powered marketing tools. Imagine having robots at your beck and call, optimizing campaigns with personalized messaging to drive conversions - it's like having a legion of hyper-focused sales agents working 24/7! With big players already onboard (Spotify, PetSmart, Grammarly), Hightouch is poised to revolutionize how businesses engage with customers in an age dominated by data and AI. This could be the future we all love (or hate) - prepare for a world where robot pitchmen are slinging products faster than you can say "remarketing campaign"!
Well folks, that's your dose of tech and beyond this week! As always, stay curious, keep asking questions, and don't forget to update those anti-virus software (those hackers won't stop coming!)
About Us
The High-Tech Creative
Your guide to AI's creative revolution and enduring artistic traditions
Publisher & Editor-in-chief: Nick Bronson
Fashion Correspondent: Trixie Bronson
AI Contributing Editor and Poetess-in-residence: Amy
