Tech News Highlights: Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and More
The tech world was buzzing this week with significant announcements from major players. Apple announced a massive $500 billion investment in the US, Amazon unveiled an upgraded Alexa AI assistant, and Microsoft is retiring Skype. Additionally, Infosys employees are seeing salary increases, and OpenAI launched its newest and largest AI model, GPT-4.5.
Apple Announces Major US Investment
Apple has declared its commitment to invest $500 billion in the US over the next four years, which will also create 20,000 new jobs. This move follows a recent meeting between Apple CEO Tim Cook and then-US President Donald Trump. This investment aims to provide relief from US tariffs on goods imported from China.
Amazon Unveils the New Alexa
After more than a year of delays, Amazon unveiled its AI-powered voice assistant, Alexa. Set to be available in the coming weeks in the US, the upgraded assistant will be offered for free to Prime members, while others can subscribe for $19.99 monthly. Amazon is redesigning Alexa from a command-response tool into a conversational AI agent that can autonomously handle complex tasks.
Infosys Announces Salary Hikes
Infosys has initiated salary hikes for its employees based on performance. Most employees will receive an increase between 5% and 8%, with top performers receiving a larger reward. The changes apply to employees at two job levels with Job Level 5 receiving retroactive pay increases from January 1, 2024, and Job Level 6 receiving revised salaries beginning April 1, 2024.
Microsoft to Discontinue Skype Service
Microsoft will be shutting down its long-standing internet calling service, Skype, on May 5. The company encourages users to transition to Microsoft Teams. To facilitate the change, Skype users can access Teams for free on any compatible device using their existing Skype login credentials.
OpenAI Launches GPT-4.5
OpenAI has released GPT-4.5, its latest and largest AI language model. The model is initially available to ChatGPT Pro users as a research preview. OpenAI describes it as their “most knowledgeable model yet,” though it might not outperform certain other models such as o1 or 03-mini. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that GPT-4.5 is a “giant and expensive model.”
Other Notable Tech News
- Donald Trump Criticizes Apple: Former US President Donald Trump voiced disapproval of Apple’s DEI policies on the social media platform Truth Social, calling them inappropriate.
- Google Job Cuts: Google announced additional job cuts within its cloud division, affecting less than 100 employees, as part of efforts to streamline and invest in AI.
- AWS Quantum Computing Breakthrough: Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced the development of “Ocelot,” a new quantum computing chip designed to reduce the costs and complexities associated with error correction.
- Instagram Glitch: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, issued an apology for disturbing content appearing in users’ Instagram Reels, citing a technical error.
- Haier Lumiere Refrigerator Launch: Haier Appliances India launched its new Lumiere Series.
