Weekly Tech Wrap: Musk Meets PM Modi, Twitter Gets Sued, Nothing Working On A Watch, More Top Tech Headlines

Every week, we gather the top tech news headlines worth your time. From Musk meeting Prime Minister Modi to Nothing working on a watch, here are the top stories from the week that was.

Elon Musk met with PM Modi in New York.

Source : Getty

A Musk-Modi ‘fan’ affair, Twitter’s lawsuit troubles, US President Joe Biden being strict on AI releases, and a possible Nothing smartwatch — the world of tech was dominated by these headlines over the past week. Let’s take a closer look. 

Musk A ‘Fan’ Of Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is currently on a historic State Visit to the US, meeting with President Joe Biden as well as several notable American CEOs and leaders. While PM Modi and Biden plan to usher in the “next generation” of US-India defence ties with an incredible focus on tech, it appears that a certain billionaire entrepreneur has claimed to be a “fan” of the prime minister. 

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has expressed his intention to visit India next year and his confidence in bringing Tesla to the country soon. He described his conversation with Prime Minister Modi as excellent and mentioned the likelihood of a significant investment in India.

"I am planning to visit India next year. I am confident that Tesla will establish a presence in India as soon as possible. I would like to express my gratitude to PM Modi for his support, and hopefully, we will be able to make an announcement in the future. There is a high probability of substantial investment in India. It was a productive conversation with the Prime Minister," Musk stated.

Musk added, "I'm incredibly excited about the future of India. India holds more promise than any other large country in the world. PM Modi genuinely cares about India, and he is encouraging us to make significant investments in the country. I am a fan of Modi. It was a fantastic meeting, and I hold him in high regard.”

Twitter Gets Sued… By Employees

Trouble’s brewing at Musk’s Twitter yet again. A lawsuit has been filed against Twitter by a group of employees, accusing the social media company of breaching its commitment to pay out bonuses for the year 2022. The lawsuit states that Twitter has failed to fulfil its promise of providing bonuses at 50 percent of the target amounts. The legal action was filed in a federal court in San Francisco. It alleges that Twitter had an annual cash performance bonus plan in place, which was slated to be distributed prior to Elon Musk's acquisition of the company in October.

According to the lawsuit, Twitter's executives, including former Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal, reassured the employees that the bonuses would be paid as agreed. However, Twitter is accused of going back on its commitment and refusing to grant bonuses to employees who remained with the company during the first quarter of 2023.

Biden Stern On AI

During a meeting held in San Francisco, California, on June 20, President Joe Biden shared his perspective on artificial intelligence (AI) and the various risks around it. He emphasised the importance of closely monitoring various AI technologies before their public deployment. The president highlighted national security as the top priority, emphasizing its responsibility towards citizens.

Biden stated, "My administration is dedicated to upholding the rights and safety of Americans, ensuring privacy protection, addressing bias and misinformation, and ensuring the safety of AI systems prior to their release." He further expressed his intention to engage in discussions with experts to gain a better understanding of the matter.

Nothing Watch Coming Soon?

The rumour mill suggests that Nothing, the consumer tech brand founded by Carl Pei, may be venturing into the smartwatch category. This speculation arises from the device's recent acquisition of BIS certification. The certification reveals that Nothing is currently developing a smartwatch identified by model number D395.

Several months ago, a trademark called "CMF By Nothing" was also discovered by tipster Mukul Sharma. It is important to note that while Nothing is preparing to launch the Nothing Phone (2) as a successor to last year's Nothing Phone (1), there has been no official confirmation regarding the smartwatch's release.

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5G Boom In India

According to a recent report by Ericsson, India witnessed a significant increase in 5G connections, reaching nearly 10 million by the end of the previous year. The report further predicts that 5G mobile subscriptions will constitute around 57 per cent of total mobile subscriptions in India by the end of 2028, positioning the country as the fastest-growing 5G region globally.

The study forecasts that 5G subscriptions in India will reach a remarkable 700 million by the conclusion of 2028, highlighting the substantial growth potential in the region. Despite geopolitical challenges and macroeconomic slowdowns in certain markets, communication service providers across the globe are actively investing in 5G technology.

The surge in 5G subscriptions is not limited to India alone but is being observed in various regions worldwide. By the end of 2023, global 5G subscriptions are projected to reach 1.5 billion. Additionally, the report highlights the continued growth of global mobile network data traffic, with average monthly usage per smartphone expected to surpass 20 GB by the end of 2023. Conversely, 4G subscriptions are anticipated to decline from 820 million in 2022 to 500 million by 2028.

That’s it from the world of tech headlines this week. Stay tuned to this space for more top stories next week.

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