Top Technology Stories of 2024

2024 · VOA Learning English

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Transcript

1. Throughout 2024, we saw further development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and new legal action brought against technology companies.

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2. Here is a look back at some of the biggest tech stories we covered in 2024.

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3. Among these were a new set of AI offerings announced by American software company Microsoft.

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4. Officials explained the new tools included “personal agents” designed to help users complete business activities with little or no human

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5. Microsoft says it designed the agents to expand on so-called chatbots AI tools that work by themselves to produce human-level writing

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6. or discussions. The company said it expects a full release of the agents sometime in 2025.

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7. In September, technology company Apple announced it was launching several new iPhones equipped with special chips to support AI

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8. operations. Apple chief Tim Cook said the new models had been “designed for Apple Intelligence from the ground up.”

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9. We reported in October about an effort by researchers to use AI to improve existing weather prediction models.

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10. One system works by combining past weather predictions with modern methods to provide the most complete picture of weather and climate data.

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11. One main goal was to fight deepfakes.

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12. These are pieces of video or audio created to make it appear that people in it are saying or doing things they never said or did.

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13. Deepfakes were used in several world election campaigns in 2024.

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14. In May, an international gathering of major AI developers and top government officials in Seoul agreed on measures that aim to ensure that AI systems are

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15. Attendees from 16 different technology companies signed a promise to develop AI technology in ways that limit possible public harms.

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16. Then in August 2024, a federal judge ruled that Google had violated trade laws by operating its search engine as a monopoly

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17. The ruling accused Google of paying smartphone makers to ensure that its search engine was set as the default system on new devices.

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18. As part of the case, the U.S. government proposed in November a series of measures to limit Google from anti-competition business activities.

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19. Google criticized the court’s ruling as an example of government overreach. U.S.

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20. officials have long warned that TikTok presents national security concerns. Earlier this month, video sharing service TikTok asked a U.S.

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21. appeals court to block a law requiring its Chinese parent, ByteDance, to divest itself of TikTok or face a U.S. ban.

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22. The request came after the same court had upheld a law forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19 or face the ban.

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23. Lawyers for ByteDance and TikTok are seeking to have the U.S. Supreme Court rule on the case.

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24. Company officials said it planned to begin the service in Texas, with 20 tractor-trailers transporting goods between Dallas and Houston.

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25. The company hopes to expand the service to thousands of tractor-trailers within three to four years.

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26. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it had issued final rules for operating air taxis. It also set training and approval requirements for pilots.

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27. The FAA said air taxis belong to a kind of aircraft known as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) flyers.

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28. They generally operate on their own on electrical power, with vertical take-off and landing abilities.

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29. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said such aircraft represent “the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years.”

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30. He added that the new rules are meant to mark the beginning of possible widespread AAM operations across the

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31. U.S. in the future. I’m Bryan Lynn.

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