Microsoft hosts developer conference as focus grows on AI profits

Italy's data protection regulator Garante fined Replika AI developer Luka Inc. €5 million for privacy violations. The San Francisco-based company failed to protect minors and lacked a valid legal basis for processing user data. Replika was suspended in Italy in February 2023 due to risks to children, as it had no effective age verification system despite adult-oriented features. The AI chatbot, which creates personalized avatars for emotional support, violated GDPR transparency requirements. This action follows Garante's €15 million fine against OpenAI's ChatGPT for similar concerns. The regulator has also launched a separate investigation into Replika's AI training practices, reflecting growing regulatory pressure on AI companies regarding user privacy and safety.

Reuters appears to have published an article about artificial intelligence in education, examining how AI tools like ChatGPT are changing teaching and learning environments. The article likely discusses research by academics including Mukhammadfoik Bakhadirov, Rena Alasgarova, and Jeyhun Rzayev on factors influencing AI adoption by educators. It explores varying perspectives from students and professors on using AI for homework, challenges to traditional assessment methods, and the evolution of virtual learning environments in the post-pandemic period. The piece probably addresses both opportunities and concerns as educational institutions adapt to AI-driven innovation through 2025, emphasizing the need for balancing technological advancement with sound pedagogical approaches.

Imec CEO Luc Van den hove urges the semiconductor industry to shift toward reconfigurable and programmable chips to keep pace with rapidly evolving AI algorithms. He warns that dedicated high-power chips risk becoming obsolete before deployment and are unsustainable for most companies. Instead, Van den hove advocates for a modular "supercell" approach where chip capabilities are organized in functional units connected via high-speed networks, enabling quick adaptation to new algorithmic requirements. This vision leverages three-dimensional stacking technology—which imec helped pioneer—to create adaptable architectures that can support advanced AI applications in healthcare, autonomous vehicles, and beyond current large language models like ChatGPT.

JPMorgan Chase predicts a rise in credit card charge-offs by 2026, despite currently stable default rates of about 3.6% expected for 2025. This projection signals concerns about future consumer credit quality amid economic uncertainty. As a leading credit card issuer, JPMorgan's warning may influence industry-wide risk assessments and lending practices, with analysts closely monitoring for additional signals from major financial institutions in coming quarters.