Web browser Mozilla is investing $30 million into launching a startup, called Mozilla.ai, focused on building a "trustworthy, independent, and open-source AI ecosystem."
The company wrote in a blog post about the investment: "This new wave of AI has generated excitement, but also significant apprehension. We aren’t just wondering What’s possible? and How can people benefit? We’re also wondering What could go wrong? and How can we address it? Two decades of social media, smartphones and their consequences have made us leery."
Mozilla said it still sees the potential of AI to enrich peoples' lives, but it doesn't see those positive effects coming from "big tech and cloud companies with the most power and influence."
The company pitched Mozilla.ai as a "counterweight to the status quo" that will make "generative AI safer and more transparent." Moez Draief, who researched AI at Imperial College and LSE, will lead the initiative.
As major social media and tech companies like Facebook and Microsoft announce plans for metaverse technology, chipmakers like Nvidia, AMD, Intel, and more stand to benefit as the technology rolls out and evolves. But who will take the lead and benefit the most? Paul Meeks, Portfolio Manager at Independent Solutions Wealth Management, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the metaverse chipmaker race, who could come out on top, the timeline of how this sector will heat up, and more.
IBM's spinoff, Kyndryl, is officially an independent public company. The $19 billion business is now listed on the NYSE under the ticker KD, becoming one of the largest players in the IT services market. David Wyshner, CFO of Kyndryl, joined Cheddar to discuss what this milestone means for the company moving forward.
Emma Searson, an author on the just-released Renewables on the Rise report and the director, 100% Renewable Campaign at Environment America, joined Cheddar to discuss the rapidly growing renewable energy sector. Between 2011 and 2020, the report shows that wind, solar, and geothermal energy production grew about 15 percent annually and that wind and solar alone account for 11 percent of electricity in the country. "There are a few really important drivers of the renewable energy progress that we're seeing all across the country," Searson said, highlighting falling prices, technology improvements, and supportive policies.
Wendy O, host of 'The O Show' joins Cheddar News to discuss the recent rally from cryptocurrency, Ether. She also discussed incoming New York City mayor Eric Adams wanting to teach kids crypto in schools.
Cryptocurrencies are getting off to a good week. Ethereum surged more than 4% in 24 hours on Monday, hitting a new all-time high above $4,700. Meanwhile, Bitcoin surged 7% to a price of $66,250. Haohan Xu, founder and CEO of Apifiny, joins Cheddar News with thoughts on the growing sector.
Payment processor Paypal will roll out a Venmo option for Amazon customers beginning in 2022 as the payment app continues to grow the number of merchants it works with.
Facebook officially announced that it is shutting down its facial recognition software which identifies users in photos and videos. The decision comes during growing societal concerns over the use of the technology. Cathy Hackl, Tech futurist and CEO of the Futures Intelligence Group joined Cheddar's Opening Bell.
