The latest artificial intelligence systems dominated the tech conversation in Davos with a mix of excitement and worries over how they will reshape the future of work.
Why it matters: Past waves of automation have targeted entry-level jobs. But generative AI systems like ChatGPT and Dall-E 2 raise fears for knowledge workers, including those in the C-suite.
Global economists are warning that once-rare economic shocks may become more frequent.
That was the worrisome undercurrent of conversations among attendees at this week's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland — where some of the world's richest and most powerful people returned in droves for the first full-fledged Davos since 2020.
In a San Francisco federal courtroom earlier this week, a jury was told its job isn’t to determine whether Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s 2018 tweets about taking the company private were false.
Rather, the group must decide on his state of mind at the time.
Why it matters: The legal concept of scienter, or the required state of mind to be held liable for certain actions, is central to white-collar crimes like fraud.
Mango Markets was a crypto exchange built on the Solana blockchain that looked a lot like the now bankrupt FTX.
Driving the news: The SEC brought charges Friday against Avraham Eisenberg, a trader who exploited the same weakness on Mango Markets that ultimately brought down FTX: a token that was designed to become more valuable the more people used its underlying exchange.
Walmart has launched a concerted effort to share more about its extensive cybersecurity strategy as it continues to evolve from a big-box retailer to a big-tech competitor.
Driving the news: The retail giant hosted its first-ever cybersecurity media day with six reporters earlier this week at its Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters.
Hertz aims to speed the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) one city at a time, starting with Denver, where the car rental giant is launching a public-private partnership to add more neighborhood chargers and prepare workers for future jobs.
Why it matters: Renting an electric car gives potential EV buyers a no-risk way to try before they buy. But it can be a daunting choice — especially for first-time EV renters in unfamiliar areas who don't know where to charge.
Fifteen months after their high-profile firing from Netflix, B. Pagels-Minor is setting out on a new career, aiming to be what they believe to be the first Black transgender venture investor.
"I’m not necessarily someone who likes to be in front of a camera or the face of things," Pagels-Minor said, but their experience at Netflix prompted a shift: "You have to stand up or you really will be run over."
Why it matters: After a decade of consistent growth under co-founder Reed Hasting's leadership as chief executive, the company now must pivot its strategy to take on a more competitive and turbulent streaming landscape.
