News Roundup: Meta’s Content Shakeup, Nvidia Gaming Revolution, and more

Did you miss the major developments this week? We’ve got you covered with the top five headlines!

Meta is the parent company for Facebook, Instagram and Threads. It has made sweeping changes to their content moderation policies that have already sparked a lot of debate. Mark Zuckerberg announced recently that Meta will be removing fact checkers from Instagram and Facebook to prioritise ‘free speech’.These measures will initially kick in the USbut will be gradually expanded globally.

Instead, Meta will rely upon a ‘Community Notes system’, which was used by X, formerly Twitter. Users will be able to add context and flag fake postingswith this approach. Critics are concerned about the spread misinformation because fact-checkers are not available.

Like Zuckerberg, he acknowledged the challenges of this approach. He admitted that the platform might ‘catch less bad things’ such as severe violations or illegal content.

They are working on a new strategy to reduce the erroneous censorship and allow more political content in Meta platforms. The platform is preparing to support discussions about sensitive issues such as gender and immigration.

The Meta content moderation team will relocate from California to Texas

. This will address concerns over perceived political bias. The company will also stop flagging policy violations proactively in certain areas. Meta will rely on user reports to manage less serious infractions.

Meta’s ongoing changes coincide with a wider strategy to reintroduce politics to users’ feeds, after the platform had opposed it for many years. Meta believes that this move will increase engagement, while respecting the preferences of users regarding what they see.

Zuckerberg made this change in response to the increasing global regulations on online content. He is particularly concerned about those in Europe and Latin America.

Critics, on the other hand suggest that this move would make Meta platforms more vulnerable to abuse and harmful contents.

Tencent and CATL Added To Pentagon’s Military Linked Companies List Amid US-China Tech Tensions (19659018) The U.S. Department of Defense placed Chinese tech giants Tencent and CATL on their list of companies theybelieve to have links with PLA. Tencent is the world’s largest gaming company and social media platform. CATL is the world’s largest battery manufacturer. These two companies were added to the updated Section1260H list which is revised every year.

This approach is a part of the Pentagon’s effort to counter the ‘Military-Civil Fusion’ strategy of China. Its goal is to identify companies that have been helping the Chinese military to modernize by collaborating with civilian industries.

Interestingly, Tencent is the parent company of WeChat and a stakeholder in global gaming hits like PUBG and Fortnite. The gaming giant denied the claims, calling that its inclusion in the 1260H list was a ‘mistake’ . The company plans to work with the Pentagon to resolve the misunderstanding. Tencent may also proceed to take legal action if needed.

As the world’s largest EV battery maker, CATL supplies its products to top companies like Ford and Tesla. It also refuted any involvement in military-related activities in China and stated that it would contest the designation.

No immediate sanctions on these companies will be made after the Pentagon updated its list, but the move significantly impacted the reputation of these companies.

The decision might discourage American businesses from engaging with them. Shares of Tencent fell 6.5% in Hong Kong, wiping $35.4 billion off its market value, while CATL saw a 4% drop in Shenzhen trading.

This move from the Pentagon intensifies the ongoing rivalry between the US and China. Recently, Beijing banned exports of key EV mineral-extraction technologies and sanctioned seven American firms in retaliation for U.S. military aid to Taiwan.

The US, on the other hand, has started controlling its semiconductor exports to China to slow its advancements in next-generation weaponry and AI development.

Getty Images and Shutterstock Announce $3.7 Billions Merger to Counter AI Disruption.

Getty Images and Shutterstock have merged to counter disruption causedby AI in a deal valued at $3.7 billon.

The two platforms, which were traditionally rivals, have agreed to merge through a cash and stock transactionannounced last Tuesday. After the deal, a newly formed entity called Getty Images Holdings, Inc., will be created. The business will continue to operate under the ticker symbol GETY.

The combined company will be led by Craig Peters, the CEO of Getty Images. As per the terms of the deal, shareholders of Getty Images will control 54.7% of the new entity.

This merger comes amidst the global disruption caused by AI, which has been reshaping the stock image industry. Popular generative AI tools like MidJourney, Canva, and Dall-E are extensively being used to create custom images, which lands traditional stock image providers in mounting competition.

The newly merged company aims to address these challenges and invest more in technology. The company now plans to integrate AI into its platform while expanding its library of visual content, comprehensively enhancing its offerings to users.

Craig Peters stated that the merger was ‘exciting and transformational’. He pointed to its potential to deliver value to partners, contributors, and shareholders. Within the next three years, the merged company aims to achieve $150–200 million in terms of cost synergies.

Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and a vocal supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, has been appointed to the board of Meta.

This appointment has been announced two weeks before the inauguration of the Trump administration. It comes at a time when Silicon Valley looks to mend its strained relations with the incoming administration.

The selection of White demonstrates Meta’s consistent efforts to align with diverse leadership and strengthen its ties with influential figures. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, heaped praises on White as an entrepreneur who transformed UFC into one of the fastest-growing sports enterprises globally.

White, on the other hand, seemed enthusiastic about his new role. He expressed his belief in the potential of social media and AI to revolutionize industries, including UFC rankings.

This appointment invited controversy from various fronts. In the past, White had faced public criticism, including a backlash over his altercation with his wife during New Year’s Eve in 2021.

However, his long-standing friendship with Trump, along with his significant influence in media and sports, positions him as a strategic addition to the board of Meta.

The appointment of White comes at a time when Meta is undergoing a significant transformation. Zuckerberg explained the role of his board in creating fresh opportunities in AI, social media, and wearables.

Some of the other board members include John Elkann, CEO of investment firm Exor and chairman of Ferrari, and Charlie Songhurst, a former Microsoft executive and AI strategist.

With this expansion, Meta’s board now includes 13 members. It points to the ambitious approach of the company to diversify its expertise as it braces up for future opportunities and challenges.

Nvidia introduces new gaming chips powered by AI innovations at CES 2020

Nvidia released its GeForce RTX50-series gaming chip for desktops and notebooks at CES in Las Vegas. The company has integrated AI features from their data center GPUs,to make a significant leap forward in gaming technology. These chips

are based on Nvidia’s advanced Blackwell architecture and are designed to deliver unparalleled gaming performance. This launch will give gamers a new gaming experience, with realistic images andsuperior frame rates.

The chips are available in different configurations, which range from $549 to $1,999 . They will be rolled out for desktops in January and for laptops in March. The flagship RTX 5090, retailing for $1,999, is twice as fast as its predecessor, boasting 92 billion transistors.

It also supports features like DLSS 4, which is backed by AI. Thus, the chips ensure smoother gameplayand deliver better-resolution graphics. Developers can use these chips to integrate generative AI into games, thereby creating realistic faces for characters.

Interestingly, the gaming division of Nvidia accounts for less than 10% of its overall revenue. This sector is largely overshadowed by its booming data center business.

However, in the latest quarter, gaming sales of the tech giant soared by 15%. The RTX 50-series demonstrates how advancements in AI for data centers and enterprises trickle down to consumer products.

Nvidia is also expanding its AI capabilities beyond gaming into sectors like robotics and automotive industries. The company’s CEO, Jensen Huang introduced ‘Cosmos’, a foundation model for generating synthetic training data for robots and self-driving cars. Cosmos simulates real scenarios to reduce costs associated with traditional methods of gathering data.

The company is also developing its first AI-focused desktop computer for developerspriced at $3,000. It integrates the same powerful chips used in data centers to ensure rapid testing and development of AI.

With the company’s stock hitting record highs, Nvidia continues to solidify its position as a leader in innovative technologies, driven by AI.