Google was on a roll this week when it came to AI. It added Gemini features to Docs, Sheets, Slides and Drive apps, introduced Gemini Embedding 2, and gave more AI features to Maps. Microsoft wasn't far behind, introducing Copilot Cowork, while Amazon Alexa+ quietly learnt how to curse.
Not all was hunky-dory on the AI front though. A study warned about its potential role in revealing social media users' details, even as Atlassian planned 1,600 job cuts due to AI. In the gadgets arena, Samsung unveiled its Galaxy M17e 5G, while Xiaomi launched its latest flagship — the Xiaomi 17 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G Unveiled
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy M17e 5G, set to launch in India on March 17. It features a durable 6,000mAh battery, MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor, AI tools such as Google Gemini and Circle to Search, a 6.7-inch HD+ display, and a 50MP main camera.
AI Can Profile Social Media Users
Researchers Simon Lermen and Daniel Paleka demonstrated that large language models can now de-anonymise social media users with high accuracy using only publicly available posts, greatly easing the task for malicious actors to connect anonymous accounts to real identities.
Microsoft Copilot Cowork Released
Microsoft released Copilot Cowork within Microsoft 365 Copilot, leveraging Anthropic's Claude Cowork. This feature enables it to independently manage sophisticated tasks like building apps, creating spreadsheets, and organising massive datasets with little human supervision.
Google's New AI-Powered Tools
Google expanded Gemini AI integration into Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. It also released Gemini Embedding 2, which unifies text, images, videos, audio, and documents into a single embedding space. Meanwhile, Maps received AI upgrades, including Ask Maps for enhanced conversational search and Immersive Navigation for real-time 3D views.
AI-Linked Job Cuts At Atlassian
Atlassian plans to reduce its global workforce by around 1,600 positions, or 10%, as it adjusts to the rise of AI. The restructuring is expected to cost approximately $230 million, primarily in severance.
Instagram Outage
Instagram suffered major global disruptions on Wednesday, with users reporting problems accessing the app or sending direct messages. Issues were mostly on the mobile app (77%) and website (13%).
Xiaomi 17 Ultra Launched
Xiaomi released its flagship 17 Ultra, equipped with the world's first Leica 1-inch LOFIC sensor, a Leica-optimised triple camera featuring a 200MP telephoto lens, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, 6.9-inch display, and a 6,000mAh battery.
Stryker Cyberattack
An Iran-linked hacking group took credit for a large-scale cyberattack on U.S. medical device maker Stryker, claiming to have exfiltrated 50TB of data as retaliation for military strikes on Iran. Stryker acknowledged a widespread Microsoft network outage but found no signs of ransomware or malware.
AI Like Electricity: Sam Altman
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman envisioned AI evolving into a basic utility comparable to electricity or water. “We see a future where intelligence is a utility, like electricity or water, and people buy it from us on a metre,” Altman said.
Alexa+ Learns To Curse
Amazon enhanced Alexa+ by adding a “Sassy” personality option that incorporates playful sarcasm and censored swearing, complementing the earlier Brief, Chill, and Sweet styles.
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