Gitex Africa Digital Summit wraps up for 2024
In an event signifying the burgeoning potential of Africa's tech industry, Gitex Africa recently concluded its second edition in Morocco, attracting innovators, entrepreneurs, and tech enthusiasts from the world over. Held in Marrakech, Gitex Africa brought together over 1,500 exhibitors and startups, along with thousands of visitors from more...
Current in Tech
Why is the European Commission creating a digital twin for Earth?
A €315 million project has been launched to create a ‘digital twin’ for planet Earth. Combining Artificial Intelligence with a highly complex computer model, it aims to monitor and predict the impacts of natural phenomena and human activity on Earth. Twin… where have you been? That’s what planet Earth would...
Xbox’s Game Pass obsession has changed the game
Xbox’s Game Showcase is being lauded as its best in close to a decade. More significant, is the fact that the majority of its offering is coming to Game Pass on day one. Microsoft’s vision of making gaming primarily subscription-based is finally taking hold. Who saw that coming? My TV...
TikTok used to sway young voters ahead of global elections
This year, 4 billion people are eligible to cast their political vote around the world. Social media platforms – especially TikTok – are playing a huge role in the build-up to UK elections. As Britain prepares for its highly-anticipated election, TikTok has emerged as a fresh battleground for the nation’s...
The unsettling rise of Facebook Marketplace sperm donors
Why bother with expensive IVF or IUI treatments for your fertility needs? Facebook Marketplace apparently has you covered. What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard today? Wait, here us out. Thousands of people are currently looking for unregulated fertility treatments on – get this – Facebook Marketplace. Now, it goes without saying...
Walmart Realm aims to break Gen Z market
Walmart believes virtual storefronts are the best way to tap into the vast spending power of Gen Z. Will it work? Walmart isn’t exactly a beacon of culture, is it? A labyrinth of isles illuminated by florescent lighting and blue and yellow branding doesn’t currently scream Gen Z. Determined to break...
Clover Hogan criticised for saying tech won’t solve the climate crisis
Yesterday, in a series of tweets, the Gen Z environmental activist branded the belief in ‘shiny, silver bullet solutions’ to the crisis as the most insidious form of climate denial. This has been met with intense backlash from not only users, but the CEO of Tesla and X himself, Elon Musk. Yesterday, Gen Z environmental activist Clover Hogan, known for her non-profit educational movement Force of Nature,...
Digital portal between Dublin and NYC shuts down after just one week
This is why we can’t have nice things. What happens when a digital ‘portal’ is placed on the streets of Dublin and New York City with the aim of encouraging residents to connect and interact with each other through a live video stream? If you answered something along the lines of ‘a strengthened sense of humanity’s bond,’ bless your soul. The correct answer is debauchery, of course. Despite the good intentions of...
How to spot AI doctoring and deepfakes
At this point we’re all aware that AI doctoring and deepfakes are everywhere. Confidently identifying instances of their use, however, isn’t always straightforward. AI has its mitts all over social media and the days of taking content immediately at face value are dying out. There are obvious and largely harmless examples of AI manipulation - mostly used for meme purposes - but occasionally we find ourselves suspiciously squinting at an image...
Scientists theorise that the Earth may be an intelligent entity
Pointing to evidence that fungi is communicating underground to suggest that large-scale networks of life could ‘form a vast, invisible planetary intelligence,’ a group of astrobiologists are asking the thought-provoking question: if a planet like Earth can be ‘alive,’ can it also have a mind of its own? ‘Conventionally, intelligence is seen as a property of individuals. However, it is also known to be a property of collectives,’ reads the...
