Files from Jori Negin-Shecter
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Google’s CEO warns we’re running out of time on the Climate Crisis, Facebook disputes a claim that says their AI can’t deal with hate speech, and Apple drops a new MacBook Pro.
It’s all the tech news that’s trending right now, welcome to Hashtag Trending! It’s Tuesday, October 19, and I’m your host, Samira Balsara.
In a sit down interview with Bloomberg, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai expressed concerns regarding the climate crisis, stating that he was “worried and very anxious we’re losing time.” Pichai praised the greater awareness for the issue across the tech sector as well as in society more broadly, however he also underscored that scientists have already shown that “we are already in a dire state.” He reiterated that across the board, CEOs are making sustainability a priority when discussing, and that in order to successfully avoid the worst of an oncoming climate catastrophe, global cooperation would be imperative.
Facebook is disputing a new report released on Sunday that its AI program had little impact on growing hate speech on their platform. According to an article from CNET, the company has been under heavy scrutiny since the January 6 Capitol riots, as more begin to express concern on how online hate leaks into the real world. Facebook, in contrast to the report, says that hate speech is down 50 per cent according to their own internal investigation, and says the report “misrepresents our progress”. The report emerges amidst Facebook’s ongoing whistleblower scandal that saw thousands of internal Facebook documents released.
Apple announces 16-inch MacBook Pro with new ports and design https://t.co/2H2NsecC0g pic.twitter.com/gwdkYKwZJS
— The Verge (@verge) October 18, 2021
Finally, Apple has announced a new version of their MacBook Pro at their latest Apple Event. According to an article from The Verge, some of the new features of the new MacBook Pro will include a 120Hz (Hertz) refresh display, as well as thinner bezels around the screen and a new iPhone-style notch for the camera. The Pro also reintroduces several features that were previously removed, most notably the removal of the touch screen on top of the keyboard in favour of the traditional series of function keys. The Pro will also see the return of several ports, including an SD slot as well as the MagSafe charger.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing. Make sure to sign up for our Daily IT Wire Newsletter to get all the news that matters directly in your inbox every day. If you have a suggestion or tip, please drop us a line in the comments or via email. Thanks for listening, I’m Samira Balsara.