The cripplingly high computational costs of top-notch AI research increasingly means that only a handful of big companies are able to do top-flight AI research.
Why it matters: AI will do more than any other technology to shape our future. If only the Googles and the Microsofts of the world have the resources needed to move the field forward, it will solidify their power — and possibly strangle innovation.
Figma, a popular online design tool,has hired Ken Norton, the product veteran who left Google last week after 14 years there, to be Figma's director of product, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Though not well known outside design circles, Figma is part of a growing group of online workplace tools that have carved out a valuable and significant role in contemporary corporate life.
Twitter invited a torrent of criticism after publicly saying Friday that it would take action against those who wished severe illness or death on the president, citing its broad prohibition against such expressions.
The big picture: While that policy has been on the books since April, many Twitter users — especially women, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities and people of color — say they have reported such abuse in the past and the service has rarely taken action.
As Americans collectively process the president's bout with COVID-19, they are solidifying Twitter's role as both our national water cooler and key source of official and unofficial information.
Why it matters: Twitter's architecture makes it a natural forum to turn to during key news moments, and the crisis has shown the platform's continuing value in that role. But the moment is also displaying many of the service's weaknesses — a vulnerability to rumor and speculation, security gaps, and inconsistent rules enforcement.
