IN PICS | From Altman To Deepfake: Top Tech News Of 2023

From Sam Atlman’s OpenAI drama to a deluge of deepfakes, here’s a quick look back at the most talked-about tech news of 2023:

Top Tech News Of 2023 From Altman To Deepfake Photo Gallery

Altman’s Phoenix Act | OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman emerged as the central figure in tech this year, facing a surprising exit from the company on November 17, 2023, due to transparency concerns. Within days, Altman made a remarkable return, not only resuming his role as CEO but also restructuring the entire OpenAI board.

Tech Layoffs Continue | The technology sector is grappling with a surge in job losses, exceeding 240,000 in 2023 — a 50 percent increase from the previous year. Major tech players, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Yahoo, Meta, and Zoom, initiated widespread workforce reductions earlier in the year, triggering a cascade effect. The cumulative total of tech industry layoffs in 2023 has already surpassed the 2022 total, reaching 224,503, underscoring the persistent challenges facing the tech job market.

5G Completes A Year | Celebrating the first anniversary of 5G services in India, telecom giants Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have expanded 'True 5G' and '5G Plus' networks from major cities to over 10,000 cities. Following a successful 5G airwaves sale, they've launched 5G fixed wireless access services, JioAirFiber and Xstream AirFiber, with a focus on addressing 5G monetisation challenges, while globally, Ericsson reports 100 million 5G connections by 2022, projected to reach 300 million by 2028.

Deepfake Deluge | Actress Rashmika Mandanna became a victim of deepfake technology, as a video featuring British Indian model Zara Patel with Rashmika's face generated concerns. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar labelled deepfakes as a dangerous form of misinformation, prompting an active investigation by Delhi Police and a plea to Meta for information about the responsible account. The incident, followed by deepfake videos of Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt, led Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the threat, urging vigilance against the misuse of artificial intelligence during the BJP's Diwali Milan programme in Delhi.

WhatsApp Rolls Out Edit Button | WhatsApp has introduced a new editing feature allowing users to edit messages within a 15-minute window, eliminating the need to delete entire messages for corrections. This free feature is now available to all users, enhancing user experience and providing greater control over message content.

Apple’s $3-Trillion Shot | Apple reached a historic milestone on June 28, with its stock closing at $189.25, a 0.6 per cent increase that brought the tech giant close to a $3 trillion market capitalisation, marking the second consecutive record-setting close. Despite briefly surpassing the $3 trillion threshold in intra-day trading on January 3, 2022, Apple has yet to conclude a full trading session above this landmark figure.

Nations Sign AI Safety Agreement | In a landmark move, the US, UK, and over a dozen other nations unveiled a pioneering international agreement in November, addressing AI security to combat illicit use. The 20-page document emphasises security measures in AI system design, providing non-binding recommendations to prioritise customer and public safety, marking a departure from the sole focus on innovative features.

Microsoft Bing Gets AI Edge | Microsoft, in a February announcement, disclosed plans to integrate advanced AI capabilities, similar to ChatGPT, into the Bing search engine through the "prometheus model," enhancing answer relevancy and introducing real-time updates. This significant leap, referred to by CEO Satya Nadella as the most substantial in relevance, includes a revamped interface accommodating 1,000-character inputs and a ChatGPT-like chatbot, enabling users to engage in natural language conversations, marking a noteworthy advancement in Bing's functionality.

Google Launches Bard AI | Google introduced Bard in March, a chatbot aimed at competing with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Microsoft's Bing-integrated chatbot. Characterised as an initial foray into AI experimentation, Bard's standalone webpage, operating on a research-derived Large Language Model, reflects Google's strategic embrace of novel AI technologies while safeguarding its core search engine business.

Meta Tries To Take On Twitter | After Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter in October 2022, Meta employees initiated "Project 92" in January 2023, resulting in the development of Threads. Launched on July 5, 2023, Threads, closely integrated with Instagram, quickly became the fastest-growing consumer software application in history, surpassing 100 million users within its first five days, even outpacing the previous record held by ChatGPT.