Business news

Business

Toyota joins with Hyundai's Boston Dynamics on AI-powered robots

Toyota Motor Corp.'s research unit and Hyundai Motor Co.'s Boston Dynamics are joining forces to speed up development of humanoid robots with artificial intelligence.

Business

Researchers study how to create a public–private network for the urban distribution of goods

Estimates suggest that 4 million parcels are delivered every day in Spain, most of which are destined for the metropolitan areas of large cities, which is where 55% of the country's population lives.

Business

New York Times takes aim at another AI company

The New York Times has sent a cease and desist letter to Perplexity, a hot AI startup often touted as a promising competitor to Google search, over alleged copyright infringement.

Business

How the tiny Caribbean island of Anguilla has turned the AI boom into a digital gold mine

The artificial intelligence boom has benefited chatbot makers, computer scientists and Nvidia investors. It's also providing an unusual windfall for Anguilla, a tiny island in the Caribbean.

Business

Amazon wants to be everything to everyone

Amazon is bolstering its e-commerce empire while continuing a march deeper into people's lives, from robots to health care and entertainment.

Consumer & Gadgets

Exploring the hidden costs of free apps

Procrastination, sleep deprivation and reduced focus are part of the price we pay for free mobile apps. This is according to researchers at Linköping University and RISE, who have investigated the costs hidden behind the ...

Business

US weighs Google breakup in landmark trial

The US Department of Justice said on Tuesday it would demand that Google make profound changes to how it does business and even consider the possibility of a breakup, after the tech juggernaut was found to be running an illegal ...

Business

Russia's central bank calls for crypto crackdown

The Russian central bank proposed Thursday cracking down on cryptocurrencies, a move which if adopted could disrupt the burgeoning virtual money sector as Russia is one of the largest crypto-mining nations in the world.

Business

US lawmakers advance Big Tech competition bill

A US Senate panel endorsed legislation Thursday that would block tech giants from prioritizing their products over those of smaller rivals, a potentially major reform that will face a tough fight in Congress.

Business

US airlines hopeful for post-Omicron 2022 after Q4 losses

Major US carriers stumbled through another money-losing quarter at the end of the 2021 but remain confident of a travel recovery later in 2022, based in part on hopes that Covid-19 will soon evolve into an ordinary and seasonal ...

Business

Emirates to again fly Boeing 777 to US as 5G rollout slowed

Long-haul carrier Emirates said Thursday it will resume its Boeing 777 flights to the U.S. after halting its use of the aircraft there over concerns new 5G services in America could interfere with airplane technology that ...

Business

Microsoft muscles in on first wave of the metaverse

US tech giant Microsoft's $69 billion purchase of Activision this week rocked the video game sector, but the deal may come to be remembered as the moment the metaverse went mainstream.

Business

EXPLAINER: Microsoft's Activision buy could shake up gaming

Microsoft stunned the gaming industry when it announced this week it would buy game publisher Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, a deal that would immediately make it a larger video-game company than Nintendo.

Business

Microsoft buys game maker Activision Blizzard for about $70B

Microsoft is paying nearly $70 billion for Activision Blizzard, the maker of Candy Crush and Call of Duty, as it seeks an edge in the fiercely competitive businesses of mobile gaming and virtual-reality technology.

Business

Spain to tighten rules for cryptocurrency ads

Spain will tighten its rules regulating advertisements for cryptocurrencies to ensure investors are aware of the risks, the country's stock market supervisor said Tuesday.

Business

Activision Blizzard: Troubled powerhouse in gaming world

Activision Blizzard is a star developer of gaming hits like "Call of Duty", but the firm has been roiled by serious sex discrimination allegations that have led to lawsuits, firings and official scrutiny.

Business

Why merging Uganda's electricity sector agencies is a bad idea

Early in 2021, the government of Uganda approved a two-year plan to streamline state-run agencies for greater efficiency. The first phase of the merger targeted 77 agencies under 18 ministries. By the time parliament put ...

Business

Poland, Hungary resist EU's corporate minimum tax push

The EU's effort to implement an internationally agreed minimum tax on big multinationals was met with opposition by Poland and Hungary on Tuesday, endangering a major priority of France's presidency of the bloc.