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How Japan took a head start in the chips race thanks to factors not easily repeated elsewhere, including efficient government support and a low-cost workforce (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg: How Japan took a head start in the chips race thanks to factors not easily repeated elsewhere, including efficient government support and a low-cost workforce  —  – TSMC site called a ‘Nightless Castle’ with its 24-hour workday  — Sony played critical role in helping TSMC plant construction

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Windows gets its own Pixel-style AI Magic Eraser

Credit: Hadlee Simons / Android Authority Microsoft is upgrading the Spot fix tool within the Windows Photos app with Generative erase functionality, letting users easily remove objects from images. This upgraded Photos app is currently available to Windows Insiders but will generally be rolled out to Windows 11 in the future. Microsoft is also bringing

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Interviews and emails show technical interviews have become more punishing for engineers after mass layoffs, requiring days of work on unpaid assignments (Lauren Goode/Wired)

Lauren Goode / Wired: Interviews and emails show technical interviews have become more punishing for engineers after mass layoffs, requiring days of work on unpaid assignments  —  Tech companies are famous for coddling their workers, but after mass layoffs the industry’s culture has shifted.

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When cloud AI lands you in court

In a recent legal ruling against Air Canada in a small claims court, the airline lost because its AI-powered chatbot provided incorrect information about bereavement fares. The chatbot suggested that the passenger could retroactively apply for bereavement fares, despite the airline’s bereavement fares policy contradicting this information. Whoops! Of course, the link to the policy

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Switzerland Calls On UN To Explore Possibility of Solar Geoengineering

Switzerland is advocating for a United Nations expert group to explore the merits of solar geoengineering. The proposal seeks to ensure multilateral oversight of solar radiation modification (SRM) research, amidst concerns over its potential implications for food supply, biodiversity, and global inequalities. The Guardian reports: The Swiss proposal, submitted to the United Nations environment assembly

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