Big Tech's Big Moves: AI, Layoffs, and a New Alexa

OpenAI has just dropped its biggest AI model yet, called GPT-4. 5. This isn't just any model; it's a beast trained on more data and computing power than ever before. The rollout is a bit staggered because they ran out of GPUs. It's a big deal, and it's already available to some users. The AI world is buzzing with new tools. Amazon just launched Alexa+, a new version of Alexa. It's a bit pricey at $19. 99 a month, but it's free for Amazon Prime subscribers. Alexa+ is coming to the U. S. soon, and it's got a new web experience and mobile app to boot. This isn't just an upgrade; it's a whole new way to interact with Alexa. Microsoft is shutting down Skype. It's a big change, and users have until May 5 to move their stuff to Microsoft Teams or export their data. It's the end of an era, but it's also a push towards more integrated communication tools. Elon Musk, the guy who changed Twitter's name to X, slipped up and called it Twitter again. It's a small mistake, but it shows how hard it is to break old habits. Meta, the company behind Facebook, has fired about 20 employees for leaking confidential information. It's a tough move, but it's a response to a lot of leaks about their internal meetings and product plans. Google has introduced a free version of Gemini Code Assist, an AI tool that helps developers write code. It's a big deal for anyone who codes, as it makes coding easier and more accessible. Lucid Motors' CEO, Peter Rawlinson, has stepped down. He's been with the company since before it went public, and his departure is a big change for the electric vehicle maker. Sam Bankman-Fried, the guy behind the FTX scandal, made his first public post in over two years. He's serving a 25-year prison sentence and referred to himself as "unemployed. " Billy McFarland, the guy behind the disastrous Fyre Festival, is back with Fyre Festival 2. It's happening in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, and tickets range from $1, 400 to $1. 1 million. It's a bold move, but it's also a risky one. Anthropic used the classic Game Boy game Pokémon Red to test its latest model, Claude 3. 7 Sonnet. The model battled three Pokémon gym leaders and won their badges. It's a fun way to show off the model's capabilities. Perplexity, an AI-powered search engine, is launching a new AI web browser called Comet. It's a big move, and it's part of their plan to reinvent the browser. Perplexity is also raising a $50 million seed and pre-seed investment fund. It's a big move, and it's part of their plan to grow the company. Meta is phasing out its third-party fact-checking programs in the U. S. and reintroducing a program that pays creators for viral content. It's a controversial move, and it could intensify the spread of misinformation. Companies across the U. S. have started cutting DEI programs and scrubbing public DEI commitments. It's a response to threats from the Trump administration, and it's a big change for corporate America. The reaction to the government's anti-diversity push has taken many forms. Some companies have rolled back their DEI policies, while others have indicated a commitment to their diversity efforts. It's a big week for tech, and it's a week of big changes. From new AI models to layoffs and a new Alexa, it's a week to watch. It's a week of big moves, and it's a week of big changes.