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AMD unveils AI-centric Ryzen 8000G desktop chips at CES 2024
AMD to Unveil World’s First Desktop Processor with Dedicated Neural Processing Unit AMD, the renowned semiconductor company, is set to make waves in the tech.....»»
Nvidias AI-driven revenue reaches new heights, despite trade restrictions
Nvidia, the leading provider of artificial intelligence (AI) chips, has announced a significant increase in revenue and net income. The company’s revenue skyrocketed by 206%.....»»
Tech titan Amazon sees profit climb as cloud promises boon
Online retail colossus Amazon on Thursday said profit surged in the recently ended quarter on growing sales and more efficient deliveries, with its cloud business promising even better days ahead. The e-commerce colossus said it made a profit of $9.9 billion on sales that tallied $143.1 billion in the recently ended quarter, with more than half its operating income made from Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud unit. Google parent Alphabet and computing colossus Microsoft this week reported rising quarterly profits, playing up demand for cloud computing enhanced with artificial intelligence. Investors, though, had hoped for better performance from Google Cloud causing the company's shares to slip. While Amazon Web Services (AWS) grew 12 percent when compared to the same quarter a year earlier, the unit's growth lagged that of rival cloud businesses operated by Microsoft and Google. "I remain very optimistic about AWS," Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy said on an earnings call. "There's a lot more there for us; then you look at the very substantial, gigantic new generative AI opportunity, which I believe will be tens of billions of dollars in revenue for AWS over the next several years." Amazon just weeks ago said it would invest up to $4 billion in AI firm Anthropic. The success of OpenAI's ChatGPT, a chatbot released last year that can generate poems, essays, and other works with just a short prompt, has led to billions being invested in the field. Anthropic agreed to use Amazon's chips to develop its next models and to use AWS for "mission-critical workloads." Amazon has already announced it aimed to soup up its Alexa voice assistant with generative AI, which the firm said would allow users to have smoother conversations. Retail rebound Amazon earnings "soared past expectations" in the quarter, according to Insider Intelligence analyst Zak Stambor. "We had a strong third quarter as our cost to serve and speed of delivery in our stores business took another step forward," Jassy said, adding its ad business grew "robustly" and AWS cloud computing business "continued to stabilize." "The retail giant's slowdown last year appears to be in the rearview mirror as it has embarked on significant cost-cutting throughout this year and sharpened its focus on key growth areas, such as its high-margin online marketplace and advertising," Stambor said. A top US antitrust regulator sued Amazon in September, accusing the online retail behemoth of running an illegal monopoly by strong-arming sellers and stifling potential rivals. "Our complaint lays out how Amazon has used a set of punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies," said Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan. Robots and drones Amazon said Thursday it will hire 250,000 full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees in the United States to handle shopping demand in the months ahead. Amazon said last week that it will expand drone delivery of certain purchases to a third US state as well as to Britain and Italy by the end of 2024. The US firm has installed a new robotics system in one of its Texas logistics centers, featuring technology like automated vehicles, mechanical arms, and computer vision technology. Amazon already uses 750,000 robots in its warehouses to speed up deliveries. "The better they get at delivery, the more it continues to grow the e-commerce market overall and Amazon's place within that market," said Insider Intelligence analyst Andrew Lipsman. But increased productivity via robots won't fix underlying Amazon worker issues, critics say. Amazon early this year eliminated some 27,000 jobs in a move it said at the time was necessary, after years of sustained hiring. Ads shine Advertising continues to be "a major bright spot" for Amazon and it has started using generative artificial intelligence to help sellers create "eye-catching" ads in its online marketplace, analyst Stambor said. Insider Intelligence expects Amazon's US advertising business to bring in nearly $34 billion this year a major leap from before the COVID-19 pandemic. The post Tech titan Amazon sees profit climb as cloud promises boon appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
The joy of eating
There is almost always a restaurant opening in the metropolis — either to excite the taste buds or simply elevate the Filipino dining experience. Yes, from Filipino dishes to American-Italian fare and specialty steakhouse, there will always be something for everyone to discover, relish and enjoy. LOCAVORE AT ESTANCIA MALL A cozy, contemporary space ensconced inside the Estancia Mall in Pasig City, Locavore is given true Filipino touches with its warm woods, rattan chairs, rustic pendant lights and an expansive glass window that provides an exceptional view of the surrounding environs. [caption id="attachment_192645" align="aligncenter" width="771"] OLIVE Garden’s Herb Roasted Chicken.[/caption] Opened last May, Locavore at Estancia Mall is the seventh branch of the restaurant, which catapulted to prominence in the culinary arena in 2014 after it opened its first branch at Brixton Barrio Kapitolyo, also in Pasig City. It then opened at Forbestown in Taguig City, Valero Street in Makati City, S’Maison in Pasay City, Eastwood Mall in Quezon City and SM City Bacoor. With the talented chef Mikel Zaguirre and his team at the helm, Locavore takes the homey heartwarming flavors of Filipino cooking gives a more sophisticated interpretation. And with the newly opened branch comes an expanded menu and new dishes exclusively in the Estancia outlet. For starters, have the crisp BBM or Bagnet, Buro and Mustasa — a platter filled with thinly sliced, crispy pork bagnet chips that you wrap in mustasa leaves (Samgyup style) seasoned with burong (pickled) hipon and burong mangga with gochugaru (Korean chili flakes). Follow it up with Bistek Pintxos, toasted bread decked with bistek-style beef tenderloin, grilled quesong puti, truffle aioli and red onions. [caption id="attachment_192646" align="aligncenter" width="525"] OLIVE Garden’s Purple White Cocktail.[/caption] “The new dishes are presented on slate plates because they are mostly bar chows,” says Alejandro Pahan Jr., operations manager. “That’s our new concept. We were thinking of madaling kainin (easy to eat) and something fun. Because samgyup is trending, we came up with pintxos.” The resto also has Bulalo Pintxos, roasted bone marrow with pickled labanos and pares jam; Yakitori Platter, grilled skewered chicken wings, chicken thigh meat, gizzard and liver served with annatto aioli, tocino butter, miso butter and spiced suka; Bagnet Chips, housemade bagnet chips served with spiced vinegar; and Inasalitos, inasal chicken with salsa, labuyo aioli served in lumpia taco shell. All these dishes are paired with seven new signature cocktail drinks, crafted by its in-house mixologist. Pahan says the new refreshing drinks heavily relies on the food being served at the restaurant. They complement the taste of the meals. Locavore serves alcohol and spirits. The drinks include Hardin, a hybrid between gin tonic and Tom Collins, with tonic water and botanicals and floral notes like blue pea and elderflower (which has a similar taste notes of lychee), garnished with rosemary and black pepper; Kinilig, a combo of Disaronno amaretto, honey, lemon juice and rum, with rice paper art design on top; Diwata, a blend of Bombay Sapphire gin with Giffard Lychee liqueur, sugar syrup and lemon juice, dressed with basil sprig and forget me not flower; and Antibayotiko, a whiskey-based mix of bourbon, ginger liqueur, honey and lemon juice. Locavore at Estancia Mall has a seating capacity of 120 people and targets bar goers in the area. It’s open until 1 a.m. from Wednesday to Saturday. The rest of the week, it follows the mall hours. OLIVE GARDEN AT THE VERVE A visit to the newly opened third branch of Olive Garden at The Verve in BGC, Taguig City, is a journey of discovery into a world of delicious and affordable pasta, bread, salad, chicken and pizza sensibilities. The menu is broad and touches base with all the departments of classic Italian-American fare. Upon arrival, diners are swiftly delivered a basket of freshly baked breadsticks, which are widely popular in all 900 Olive Garden stores all over the world, including the Philippines. They are buttery, a bit garlicky, moist and chewy. The unlimited breadsticks, including the never-ending soups and salads, come free with every order of an entrée. What a treat! [caption id="attachment_192647" align="aligncenter" width="525"] LOCAVORE’S BBM (Bagnet, Buro, Mustasa).[/caption] The refreshing salad is a merry mix of healthy greens, tomatoes and olives with a light house dressing, while the soup selection includes Pasta E Fagioli, Zuppa Toscana, Minestrone and Chicken & Gnocchi. Olive Garden first opened at the Mall of Asia on 12 September 2022 and at Glorietta 3 in Makati City on 9 January 2023. “It is, more or less, the same menu that we have for our first branch in MOA and also the same menu all over the United States,” Rechele Tiongson, chief operating officer of The Bistro Group, the company responsible for bringing in Olive Garden which was founded in 1982 in Orlando, Florida. “We never changed anything aside from modifying some of the portions that would fit the Filipino market, but the taste and flavor are the same. We use the finest ingredients like imported cheeses.” She adds: “Just to be clear, we did not reduce the portions but we introduce the smaller ones like solo version for those will smaller appetites. The big portions remain the same.” Browsing the menu uncovers more inviting dishes, such as the signature item, Tour of Italy (a huge platter of everything good — Chicken Parmigiana, Lasagna Classico and Fettucino Alfredo pasta), Amazing Alfredos (made from scratch using imported cheeses, not just heavy cream) and an Italian classic, Shrimp Scampi. Just recently, four new dishes were introduced — Mediterranean Chicken, Chicken Tuscany, Roasted Herb Chicken and Italian Braised Short Ribs, all served with a choice of mashed potato or steamed rice. “We are happy with the response of the public to Olive Garden,” shares Tiongson. “It was extremely unexpected when we first opened in MOA. We were busy for the next six months of the restaurant. The queue was really long. People had to wait for 30 to 45 minutes, which we felt bad for our customers, but that was how they responded to the first opening of Olive Garden in the Philippines.” Olive Garden’s vibe is casual, light and bright yet it is warm and comforting with olive green accents. The design of the interiors is an allusion to the Italian countryside through earth tones and natural textures. It can accommodate 150 people. Olive Garden at The Verve in BGC is open from Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. [caption id="attachment_192648" align="aligncenter" width="525"] LOCAVORE’S Sizzling Sinigang.[/caption] ASTON’S SPECIALITIES AT ARCOVIA Tron Ng, Astons business development executive based in Singapore, flew to Manila last, 22 September, in time for the opening of the third branch of Astons Specialities, a Singapore-based restaurant chain renowned for serving affordable steaks and Western cuisine, at Arcovia City in Pasig City. Astons is a casual steakhouse which first opened in the Philippines last year on the 4/F of Mega Atrium in SM Megamall. The second branch was at Trinoma Mall in Quezon City early this year. Silver Lush Food Corporation brought in the Singapore brand to satisfy the cravings of steak lovers and those who enjoy more seafood, chicken, sausages, burgers and pasta dishes. “This is our third outlet in the Philippines in a span of 16 months,” says Ng. “We have been around since 2005 when it was founded by Aston Soon. We started as a very small coffeeshop in Singapore. Eventually, we managed to draw a lot of attention because we offer quality food at affordable prices.” He adds: “Within a year, we opened our own restaurant and we continue to grow and expand. We have introduced many different brands under Astons and we have over 40 restaurants only in Singapore alone.” [caption id="attachment_192649" align="aligncenter" width="525"] OLIVE Garden Pasta Twirl. (From left) Zachary Reams of Darden Int’l Learning and Development partner; Marc Buencamino, Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation operations director; RC Tiongson, The Bistro Group chief operating officer; Lourdes Reyes, FBDC chief financial officer; and Lisa Ronquillo-Along, The Bistro Group chief marketing officer.[/caption] Aside from the Philippines, Aston Specialities can also be found in Myanmar and Malaysia. It was also recognized by the AsiaOne’s People Choice Awards and Asian Enterprise Brand Awards for its service and offerings. “I believe Astons will do well in the Philippines because the locals lean more on western food,” Ng says. Of course, the piece de resistance of Astons revolves around its steaks and meat, as it should be. The different cuts of meat from prime sirloin and New York strip to prime ribeye steak do not disappoint. Each has wonderful marbling with the juiciness of the meat, coating your tongue with every bite. The perfect grill marks immediately excite one’s appetite and invite you to dig in with your own side dishes — potatoes (baked, mashed, wedges or fries), Mexican nachos (chicken or beef) or Mac & Cheese. Other items on the menu are also a treat, such as Surf & Turf and Chargrilled Salmon Fillet, Grilled Porkchops and Honey Bourbon Ribs. Cocktail drinks are also aplenty — Piña Colada, Tequila Sunrise, Daiquiri, Orange Margarita and Sangria, to name some. With its industrial chandelier, brick accents and dark wood touches, the place takes on the air of an upscale roadhouse, but softened by the muted walls and expansive glass windows. Astons Specialities at Arcovia City is open daily, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. All told, a trip to any of these newly opened restaurants guarantees a truly gratifying dining experience. The post The joy of eating appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Amazon steps up AI race with $4-B Anthropic investment
Amazon said on Monday it would invest up to $4 billion in AI firm Anthropic, as the online retail giant steps into an AI race dominated by Microsoft, Google and OpenAI. The success of OpenAI's ChatGPT, a chatbot released last year that is able to generate poems, essays and other works with just a short prompt, has led to billions being invested in the field. Amazon had already announced it aimed to soup up its Alexa voice assistant with generative AI, which the firm said would allow users to have smoother conversations. San Francisco-based Anthropic is seen as a leader in the field and has its own chatbot, Claude, a competitor to ChatGPT. "We have tremendous respect for Anthropic's team and foundation models, and believe we can help improve many customer experiences, short and long-term, through our deeper collaboration," said Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. The giant firms and wealthy investors of Silicon Valley have poured money into artificial intelligence as they seek to find a killer application to justify the interest. ChatGPT's instant success threw much of the focus onto chatbots and sparked imitators and rivals, not least from Google with its Bard chatbot. Chinese titans Tencent and Baidu have also launched bots they claim can rival ChatGPT. 'Transformation' promise But Monday's deal between Anthropic and Amazon is potentially less significant in the chatbot world and more important in the race to develop chips to power AI. Anthropic agreed to use Amazon's chips to develop its next models and the two firms said they would collaborate on developing the next set of chips. All firms in the space are looking to wean themselves off the chips made by market leader NVIDIA, said Nick Patience, lead AI research analyst at S&P Global Market. "It'll be difficult for anyone to make a dent in the next 12 to 18 months," he told AFP, but tie-ups like Monday's Amazon deal could help change the picture over five years. Anthropic also agreed to use Amazon Web Services cloud infrastructure -- the data centers that store and process data on a vast scale -- for "mission critical workloads". Amazon said it would take a "minority ownership position" in the AI firm, which has already raised more than $1 billion since it was set up in 2021. The statement promises that "Claude", which is the name of Anthropic's chatbot and its model, will help AWS customers "of all sizes to develop new generative AI-powered applications to transform their organisations". The deal intensifies competition between Amazon and Google, which had earlier opened its cloud services to Anthropic and invested $300 million to acquire 10 percent of the company. AI models require huge computing power so AI firms rely on data centers provided by the likes of AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure. As tech giants push their own AI ambitions, they have been increasingly looking at tie-ins with smaller AI firms -- Microsoft leading the way with a multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI. The post Amazon steps up AI race with $4-B Anthropic investment appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Big fuss over .02%
The Philippine Stock Exchange index is considered the gauge of the activity in the equities market and, by extension, of the economy since the direction of the line graph indicates the country’s financial health. The index tracks the price movements of a basket of select companies listed on the bourse, representing various sectors of the economy. Investors and market participants use the PSE index as a reference to evaluate the performance of their investment portfolios and make informed investment decisions. The daily movement of the index influences investor confidence and sentiment. Increased investor confidence can stimulate trading activity, attract foreign investments, and encourage local companies to raise capital through initial public offerings or secondary floats. A strong and stable PSE Index can enhance the stock market’s perception as an attractive investment destination. This could attract foreign capital inflows, increase liquidity, and contribute to developing the local capital market. Thus, the impending exit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., or MPIC, and Aboitiz Power Corp., or APC, from the Philippine Stock Exchange index seems a bit off as both companies are major players in the country’s growth story. Replacing APC and MPIC in the exclusive blue chips club are tycoon Enrique Razon Jr.’s Bloomberry Resorts and the Po family’s Century Pacific Food. The revamp takes effect on Tuesday, 26 September. MPIC is stepping out of the index after its public float dropped to 2.78 percent as part of its program to delist by October. APC’s exclusion from the benchmark was decided on, however, after it missed by a few decimal points of the 20 percent float rule for stocks to be retained in the PSEi. The company purchased 11.4 million shares as part of its buyback program that brought the public float level to below 20 percent, the level required to stay in the PSEi. Based on APC’s report to the market, stocks owned by the public are 19.98 percent of the total listed shares of 7.35 billion. Listed companies are required to have a 10-percent public float, but the elite index members are given a more arduous 20-percent public ownership condition. APC is off by .02 percent. APC’s buyback activities increased non-public scrips to 5.886 billion, bringing the total number of publicly owned shares to 1.47 billion. “Aboitiz Power’s current public ownership levels far exceed the 10-percent minimum public ownership level required for it to remain listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange,” an APC statement to the PSE said. “Even with this stock buyback program, there is no intention to delist from the PSE, but merely to reward our existing shareholders with a larger share of a brighter future,” APC added. The PSEi must accurately reflect the stock market’s overall performance and, in the bigger picture, the economy’s strength. Its composition should go beyond the mere technical criteria to allow a more representative indicator of the daily activity of the market. APC accounts for one out of every five megawatts, or MW, of installed capacity in the country and has some 1,000 MW of renewable energy capacity in the pipeline. In the first half of the year, the company reported a P17.8-billion net income, 79 percent higher than the P10 billion recorded in the same period a year ago. In the second quarter, the company’s net income reached P10.3 billion, 46 percent higher than the P7 billion profit a year ago. The decision to remove a key bourse participant, which also has among the most active shares, is like benching your star player because he forgot to bring a matching pair of socks. The post Big fuss over .02% appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Apple expected to bow to EU and unveil iPhone with USB-C charger
Apple is expected to unveil its new iPhone lineup on Tuesday, with its Lightning charger ports likely to be replaced on the newest models by a universal charger after a tussle with the European Union. The bloc is insisting that all phones and other small devices must be compatible with the USB-C charging cables from the end of next year, a move it says will reduce waste and save money for consumers. The firm had long argued that its cable was more secure than USB-C chargers, which are already deployed by Apple on other devices and widely used by rivals including the world's biggest smartphone maker Samsung. Apple, still the world's biggest company by market capitalization, has not revealed what it plans to announce at Tuesday's "Wonderlust" event but usually unveils new iPhones at this time of year. It comes as Apple faces declining sales of iPhones, with higher prices pushing customers to delay switching to newer models. The firm is also caught up in diplomatic turbulence between the United States and China, with reports saying the Communist government is banning civil servants from using its phones. - 'Tepid' sales - Like any other company, Apple would prefer to boast about shiny new features rather than new charging ports. But analysts agree that the switch to USB-C is going to be the main headline. Insider Intelligence principal analyst Yory Wurmser said the iPhone needed "a big cycle" after "tepid" recent sales. He said Tuesday's event would probably see new Apple Watch and AirPod models, "but it's the iPhone 15 that will really determine how the next year will look for Apple". EU policymakers said the rule would simplify the lives of Europeans and do away with a mountain of obsolete chargers. "With the common charger, we are slashing consumer costs, and it's good for the environment too," said EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton in a statement, adding that the move would save consumers 250 million euros ($270 million) each year. Apple had long resisted the change, arguing that it would stifle innovation and make the phones less secure. "The cable change may give consumers pause, but within a generation they will get over it: they won't have a choice," said Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart. - Price bump? - Along with rolling improvements to iPhone cameras and chips, Apple is expected to raise prices on its Pro models, according to Wurmser. Sales of iPhones in the recently ended quarter lagged analyst estimates. Apple suffered a 2.4 percent drop in iPhone sales, which account for nearly half of total revenues. Apple shares were battered last week following reports of significant Chinese restrictions on iPhones at government offices and state-backed entities. "China is a very important market for Apple, so any negative sentiment by the Chinese government toward Apple is concerning," analyst Greengart told AFP. Apple reported $15.8 billion in revenues from China in the most recent quarter, nearly 20 percent of total revenues. Executives pointed to the uptick in China sales in a period when overall sales fell. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives estimated that a Chinese government ban would affect less than 500,000 iPhones of roughly 45 million projected to be sold in the country in the next year. "We believe despite the loud noise Apple has seen massive share gains in China smartphone market," Ives said. gc/arp/jxb/lth © Agence France-Presse The post Apple expected to bow to EU and unveil iPhone with USB-C charger appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Chipmaker Arm aims for $52-B valuation in NY listing
British chip maker Arm, owned by Japan's SoftBank, will target a valuation of up to $52 billion when it lists on the New York Stock Exchange later this month, the company said Tuesday. The company is looking to raise between $4.5 and $5.2 billion in its initial public offering (IPO), it announced in a filing, which would make it one of the largest tech IPOs in recent years. Arm is a world leader in designing chips that are used in smartphones across the world and aims to be a major player in artificial intelligence. Arm's IPO comes on the heels of a surge in the share price of chipmakers like Nvidia amid a boom in interest in companies building the hardware needed for AI to flourish in the wake of the successful launch of the chatbot ChatGPT. Rare tech IPO Arm's IPO is being closely watched by the financial markets, with large tech IPOs something of a rarity in recent months, as rising interest rates have pushed traders to take less risky financial decisions. In 2022, the number of IPOs worldwide fell by more than 60 percent year-on-year, while the value of these deals dropped by 45 percent. Under these conditions, Arm's deal would be one of the largest IPOs in the tech sector since Alibaba's Wall Street IPO in 2014, which raised $25 billion at the time. The valuation target announced by Arm on Tuesday is much lower than SoftBank's earlier estimate of more than $60 billion. However, it is still considerably more than the approximately $32 billion Softbank paid for Arm back in 2016. Majority shareholder The document filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission said more than 95 million shares would initially be offered on the Nasdaq exchange at a price of between $47 and $51 per share. The number of shares listed could rise up to 102.5 million in case of strong demand. All of the shares being sold are existing shares owned by Softbank, and all of the money from the IPO would go to the Japanese company. Softbank will continue to own around 90 percent of the company after the listing. Tech giants including Nvidia, Apple, Samsung Electronics, and Intel are interested in investing in Arm once the company is listed, according to numerous press reports. Arm will remain headquartered in the British city of Cambridge and may consider a second listing on the London Stock Exchange, where it was previously listed before its takeover by Softbank in 2016. Founded in 1990, the British company has some 6,000 employees in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Its sales for 2022 were stable at $2.7 billion. Its processors "provided cutting-edge computing for over 99 percent of the world's smartphones" the company said in 2022, estimating that "around 70 percent of the world's population uses products" based on its technology. Arm's parent company SoftBank has experienced numerous difficulties in recent years. Its most high-profile failure came with the dramatic collapse of the American shared office giant WeWork. Once valued at $47 billion, WeWork saw its valuation plummet amid investor concerns over its corporate governance under its controversial chief executive Adam Neumann. The post Chipmaker Arm aims for $52-B valuation in NY listing appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Tech’s carbon footprint: can AI revolutionize responsibly?
Across the globe, data servers are humming, consuming both megawatts and precious natural resources to bring life to our digital world. The planet's 8,000 or so data centers are the foundation of our online existence and will grow ever further with the advent of artificial intelligence -- so much so that research estimates that by 2025, the IT industry could use 20 percent of all electricity produced, and emit up to 5.5 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. This poses a real -- and to some, increasingly urgent -- question about the industry's carbon footprint as startups and companies fall behind Silicon Valley's latest forward march. "Pandora's box is open," said Arun Iyengar, CEO of Untether AI, a highly specialized chip-making company that strives to make AI more energy efficient. "We can utilize AI in ways that enhance the climate requirements or we can ignore the climate requirements and find ourselves facing the consequences in a decade or so in terms of the impact." The transformation of the world's data servers to AI readiness is already well underway, in what one Google executive called a "once-in-a-generation inflection point in computing." But the scope of the mission is huge. The creation of generative AI tools such as GPT-4, which powers ChatGPT, or Google's Palm2, behind the bot Bard, can be broken into two key stages, the actual "training" and then the execution (or "inference"). In 2019, University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers trained several large language models and found that training a single AI model can emit the CO2 emission equivalent of five cars over their lifetimes. A more recent study by Google and the University of California, Berkeley, reported that training GPT-3 resulted in 552 metric tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to driving a passenger vehicle 1.24 million miles (2 million kilometers). OpenAI's latest generation model, GPT-4, is trained on around 570 times more parameters -- or inputs -- than GPT-3, and the scale of these systems will only grow as AI becomes more powerful and ubiquitous. Nvidia, AI's chip giant, provides the processors that are indispensable for training, known as GPUs. And while they are more energy efficient than typical chips, they remain formidable consumers of power. The ChatGPT 'problem' The other side of generative AI is deployment, or inference: when the trained model is applied to identify objects, respond to text prompts or whatever the use case may be. Deployment doesn't necessarily need the computing heft of an Nvidia chip but taken cumulatively, the endless interactions in the real world far outweigh training in terms of workload. "Inference is going to be even more of a problem now with ChatGPT, which can be used by anyone and integrated into daily life through apps and web searches," said Lynn Kaack, assistant professor of computer science at the Hertie School in Berlin. The biggest cloud companies insist that they are committed to being as energy-efficient as possible. Amazon Web Services pledges to be carbon-neutral by 2040 while Microsoft has pledged to be carbon-negative by 2030. The latest evidence that the companies are serious about energy efficiency is reassuring. Between 2010 and 2018, global data center energy use rose by only 6 percent, despite a 550 percent increase in workloads and computing instances, according to the International Energy Agency. 'Backwards' thinking Silicon Valley's AI tycoons believe discussions of AI's current carbon footprint are beside the point, and underplay its revolutionary potential. The naysayers have it "backwards," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told reporters on a recent visit to his company's headquarters in California. The mass deployment of AI and faster computing will in the end diminish the need to go to the world's data clouds, he argued. AI's superpowers will turn your laptop, car, or device in your pocket into an energy-efficient supercomputer without the need to "retrieve" data from the cloud. "In the future, there'll be a little tiny model that sits on your phone and 90 percent of the pixels will be generated, 10 percent will be retrieved, instead of 100 percent retrieved -- and so you're going to save (energy)," he said. OpenAI's Sam Altman meanwhile believes that AI will soon enough be able to build humanity a completely new future. "I think once we have a really powerful super intelligence, addressing climate change will not be particularly difficult," Altman said recently. "This illustrates how big we should dream... Think about a system where you can say, 'Tell me how to make a lot of clean energy cheaply, tell me how to efficiently capture carbon, and tell me how to build a factory to do this at planetary scale.'" But some experts worry that the mad dash for AI has elbowed out fears about the planet, at least for now. "Large corporations are spending a lot of money right now deploying AI. I don't think they are thinking about the environmental impact yet," said Untether AI's Iyengar. But, he added: "I think that is coming." The post Tech’s carbon footprint: can AI revolutionize responsibly? appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Semiconductor industry having a renaissance — player
Even if unharmed by the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic three years ago, the semiconductor industry is fast regaining momentum, and even experiencing a renaissance as proven by a top executive of CIRTEK Electronics Corporation, an independent complete solution provider for subcontract manufacturing of semiconductor devices. In his guest appearance on the DAILY TRIBUNE’s digital show Business Sense, Brian Liu, managing director and CEO of Cirtek Electronics Corp., said the company’s full-year 2022 performance has breached its all-time high performance in 2019. “We reached an all-time high prior to the pandemic in 2019. But because of the effects of Covid-19, world economies closed. Supply chain problems occurred. So, we took a bit of a slowdown during that time frame; 2020 to 2021 was a bit of a slowdown for us,” he said. Renaissance “We do believe that the semiconductor industry is in a renaissance right now where a lot of the supply pool is shifting away from Greater Asia and making its way to Southeast Asia so this should serve as a good tailwind for the semiconductor industry,” he added. According to tradingeconomics.com, semiconductor exports from the Philippines climbed 0.8 percent year-on-year to a seven-month high of $6.70 billion in June 2023, following an upwardly revised 2.4 percent gain in the prior month. Sales grew for electronic products (12.0 percent), other manufactured goods (2.8 percent), ignition wiring sets and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircraft, and ships (14.6 percent), machinery and transport equipment (11.2 percent), and cathodes and sections of cathodes of refined copper (38.5 percent). By destination, sales increased to China (15.0 percent), Hong Kong (15.9 percent), the US (6.9 percent), the Netherlands (59.4 percent), South Korea (4.4 percent), Malaysia (3.1 percent), and the European Union (23.0 percent). Benefiting from WFH Further, he said the work-from-home arrangements during the pandemic have even generated pent-up demand for chips that they manufacture. “So basically, it is a mix, we keep our portfolio as diversified as possible. But back in the height of the pandemic, radiofrequency and communication chip sets comprised a large volume of our production because of the demand for work-from-home hybrid spaces. This prompted a lot of demand for higher bandwidth and connectivity,” he said. “Some of these chipsets go to the laptops that we work on so as you know demand for laptops also surged during work-from-home setups, and right now we’re seeing an industrial revolution where a lot of traditionally mechanical devices are being electrified,” he added. AI’s help As contentions about artificial intelligence or AI grow in various parts of the world, Liu said AI is beneficial to his industry in terms of improving their production. “Now we are seeing a new need for a new sub-segment such as artificial intelligence to power new automation and new devices through this automated way of machines learning and doing things on their own. This has created new device families as well, especially in the processing space and the hybrid system and packages. We are talking about multi-function chip sets being consolidated into one system. Hence a new product family is being derived,” he explained. Liu maintained that the semiconductor industry will remain a very crucial part of everybody’s lives, seeing that semiconductors comprise the very impetus of technology itself. “So, any gadget, any device, or any equipment would not be able to function without the aid of semiconductors, and because of the continuous evolution of technology and new innovations being created, this catalyzes new semiconductor device families to be continuously created, and that’s why I do believe that semiconductors play a crucial role as the building block of technology itself,” according to Liu. The Cirtek Group harnesses more than 29 years of expertise in the assembly and testing segment of the semiconductor industry and has been accredited and certified by several international quality institutions for the latest quality system standards. Beginning with just three customers in 1984, the company through its subsidiaries has significantly grown its customer base to 42 at present. “We are an independent Filipino semiconductor company, located at the Heart of Laguna Techno Park. Basically, we maintain a very highly diversified portfolio, so we do semiconductors for RF and communications, industrials, aerospace, consumer, system, and packages, and automotive as well,” Liu stated. The post Semiconductor industry having a renaissance — player appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China’s Huawei renews patent licensing deal with Ericsson
Chinese telecoms giant Huawei said Friday it had renewed a licensing agreement with Ericsson to use each other's technologies, in a rebuff to US warnings about the risk of espionage by Beijing. Huawei has been at the center of an intense technological rivalry between China and the United States, which suspects the company of spying for Beijing -- accusations Huawei denies. US sanctions on Huawei since 2019 have cut off the firm from global supply chains for American components and hobbled its smartphone arm, forcing it to pivot towards other forms of growth. Washington has also pressured its allies to ban the use of Huawei gear in their 5G telecoms networks, arguing that Beijing could use the equipment to spy on other countries' communications and data traffic. Despite those tensions, Huawei and Ericsson -- based in Stockholm -- have signed a "long-term" global agreement to license each other's patents, the Chinese company said in a statement Friday. The deal covers patents essential to 3G, 4G, and 5G cellular technologies as well as both companies' "respective sales of network infrastructure and consumer devices", Huawei said. The company's intellectual property chief, Alan Fan, said the agreement "demonstrates the commitment both parties have forged that intellectual property should be properly respected and protected". "Our commitment to sharing leading technological innovations will drive healthy, sustainable industry development and provide consumers with more robust products and services," he said. The previous agreement between Huawei and Ericsson was signed in 2016. Back then, Huawei was an insurgent force in the global technology sector with an eye on dethroning Apple and Samsung as the world's top sellers of smartphones. It briefly grabbed that title in 2020 but US sanctions have since clipped its wings and forced Huawei into a strategic refocus on software, connected devices, business computing, smart vehicles, and other sectors. Despite being sidelined from American technologies, Huawei could begin producing its own chips for 5G phones this year, according to media reports about which the company has refused to comment. The post China’s Huawei renews patent licensing deal with Ericsson appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Relishing sweetness of success
A 35-year-old fourth-generation farmer is continuing the legacy of his father in producing delis from bananas, which are now making waves in Europe. Raymund Vincent Aaron, the self-styled ‘Banana Chief’ and the heir of Villa Socorro Farm and its factory that produces sumptuous banana chips headquartered in Pagsanjan, Laguna province, said he inherited his passion for agriculture and farming from his father, incorporating a streak of his own. Right after obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Management from Ateneo de Manila University in 2009, Raymund joined the budding family business. “I wanted to be an entrepreneur for as long as I can remember. We used to grow bananas on our land in Pagsanjan, and so, after graduating, doing business using bananas seemed the perfect fit,” Raymund shared. An indirect start The idea of exporting came through his father’s work in marketing for a multinational company, which inspired him to engage in international business. Starting off in 2008 with an initial capitalization of P5 million, the company produced banana chips, with the first export in 2014 to the United States. The Health Safety Certification from the Food and Drug Administration, a requirement of the Philippine authorities, was obtained in 2012, which further added credibility to the business as an exporter. “We began exporting indirectly through a local company that expressed interest in distributing our products to buyers there.” Targeting Europe According to the Department of Trade and Industry, Aaron, who has been a regular at DTI’s business matching events, recently returned from one such event held in Dubai coinciding with Gulfood 2023. Regular participation in business networking events and seminars since 2015 has provided valuable knowledge and insights on export market access, including the European Union. Be it the DTI or the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions handling the International Food Exhibition Philippines which is the biggest international food trade show in the country, Aaron has always found participation in the trade fairs to be beneficial. “You never knew who you would meet. I always carried samples of my products along,” he said. At one such event arranged by the DTI-Export Marketing Bureau, Aaron established a connection with the Philippine diplomatic mission in Switzerland. Soon, samples from Villa Socorro reached a few Swiss companies with the help of this link. The products were a hit with one distribution company. By the end of 2019, a 20-foot container with 1,000 boxes that cost $14,000 has been shipped to Switzerland. “It was support from the EMB that helped us pursue direct exports to Europe. We made our first link through them.” Recognizing the support he received, Aaron is always willing to share his skills and knowledge with other entrepreneurs and to contribute to local DTI capacity-building initiatives. Why the EU? The EU appears to be a lucrative market for the company as Aaron gradually expands the product range by including sweet potato chips and corn snacks. About 80 percent of total current revenue comes from exports, while 20 percent comes from sales at hotels, restaurants, canteens, airports, kiosks, and selected supermarkets in the Philippines. Villa Socorro’s exports to Europe are at five percent, with buyers in Switzerland, Norway and EU member state the Netherlands. Aaron wants to increase business with Europe, specifically with EU member states, which he regards as the best destinations for healthy organic food products made from tropical fruits. “It is a market that is willing to pay a premium for natural products.” EU buyers’ requirements Aaron’s drive to grow specifically in the EU market is evident in his readiness to comply with the necessary requirements.The Registered Exporter System number to avail of the EU Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus scheme to export tariff-free to the EU was obtained on the recommendation of the buyers to strengthen the business. The REX is a self-certification system wherein the origin of goods is declared by economic operators themselves by means of so-called statements about the origin. To be entitled to make out a statement of origin, an economic operator must be registered in a database by the competent authorities. The economic operator then becomes a “registered exporter.” Product and packaging development were also adjusted. There is a shift to use a more natural Brown Muscovado Sugar to suit customer preferences in the EU. Aaron’s company also created a sub-brand, Farmony, to market its products in the EU. “Farmony creates harmony between farmers, manufacturers, and consumers. Our existing brand, Villa Socorro Farm Sabanana Banana Chips, really targets Filipinos or people looking for Filipino products. We created Farmony to have a product that can easily blend on the shelves of the EU market,” Aaron said. Social entrepreneur Being on a farm allowed Aaron to become a social entrepreneur. He understands well the needs of the farmer. To support banana farmers around his family plantation, he buys 98 percent of the fruit from the community that he fondly refers to as “partner farmers.” “We buy bananas from more than 200 farmers in a radius of 5km around our farm. We only plant two percent of the bananas that we use for banana chips,” he said. By processing 600,000 tons of bananas every year, Aaron provides the local farmers with a market for their produce. He considers himself lucky that things fell into place, enabling him to give back to the community that helped him get to where he is today. Gearing up for the future” I am still here. I look forward to expanding our business. Sticking with the snacks theme, we’re looking at making use of the abundant farm produce in our region and the rest of the Philippines to create fun and healthy snacks.” Aaron is determined to transform his business into a reliable food company by creating an entire line of banana products and drawing in loyal customers at home and abroad. The ARISE Plus Philippines project is enabling Philippine exporters to take advantage of EU market access and the trade privileges granted under the Generalized System of Preference (GSP+). It supports the overall EU-Philippines trade relationship and trade-related policies. ARISE Plus Philippines is a project of the Government of the Philippines, with the DTI as the lead partner, together with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Bureau of Customs, the Department of Science and Technology, as well as the private sector. It is funded by the EU with the International Trade Centre as the technical agency for the project. The post Relishing sweetness of success appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
SAMPLING SOME OF THE LION CITY’s BEST at SINGAPORIUM 2023
You have until Sunday, 27 August, to check out some of the known Singaporean brands in a pop-up called Singaporium, situated at the Upper Ground Atrium of SM Aura. The products range from edibles to consumables, electronics and those for wellness. For food items, there is the salted egg snack brand IRVINS offering its so-called addictive fish skin and potato skin made from wholefood ingredients and real duck eggs. There is also Camel Nuts, which produces quality and healthy nut snacks sourced from top accredited farmers in different parts of the world. Another one is the Kelly’s brand of MSG-free Western-style canned meat goods, such as Iberico pork luncheon ham. Singapore’s largest retailer, FairPrice, has a booth that also offers specialty potato chips (truffle, black pepper, hot & spicy) and nuts (both baked and roasted). “It is our honor to offer Filipinos our high-quality and delicious snacks,” said Grace Chua, chief executive of Own Brands Food Solutions. “For Filipinos, snacks are more than delicious treats, they’re also a way of life and a way of injecting fiber and nutrition into their diets.” Lastly for edibles, there’s Gryphon Tea brand of artisanal teas using the world’s finest tea leaves and herbs. It also offers a range of cold brew tea that comes in refreshing fruit flavors like lychee and white peach. Moving on to wellness, integrated health company Eu Yan Sang has a booth offering various products made from natural and herbal ingredients, including Chinese medicine, health supplements and nourishing foods. There’s also the Suu Balm skincare brand developed by Singapore’s National Skin Centre that specializes in soothing dry, itchy and sensitive skin. Finally, there is the PRISM+ brand of high-quality smart TV and monitor products rounding up the lineup at Singaporium 2023. The pop-up is jointly organized by SM Supermalls and Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore government agency that champions enterprise development. It is supported by SM Supermarket and the Singapore Tourism Board, which is the lead development agency for tourism in Singapore. The post SAMPLING SOME OF THE LION CITY’s BEST at SINGAPORIUM 2023 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Flexible installment plans for Apple devices via SM Malls Online and Polka.PH
Before Investing in a brand-new Apple device, make sure to check SM Deals for the best tech deals available at SM Supermalls. SM Malls Online now offers flexible and easy installment options for Apple’s most sought-after products via a partnership with Polka.PH. No credit card required, 0 percent interest Choosing from two- to six-month competitive installment plans with absolutely 0 percent interest on selected items, you won’t need to fully pay for your Apple product immediately since payments are broken down into monthly or staggered payouts. This allows you to enjoy your premium Apple devices and their features while paying for them over time. There’s no pressure to pay the total cost of an item upfront, giving you more elbow room to settle your bills and personal expenses first. How to shop? In order to enjoy these installment plans, make sure you have the SM Malls Online app up and running on your smartphone with a registered account. Go to the Polka.PH brand page and check out your desired product by choosing the CASH payment option. Within 24 hours, an e-mail with a checkout link from Polka.PH will be sent to you, where you may upload your required documents and submit your installment plan application. The requirements include any one valid government ID, and your company ID or certificate of employment or equivalent of your proof of work. You’re also required to present your latest one-month pay slip or any proof of income covering the last three months like a bank statement or PayPal transaction history. Once approved, you can now opt to have your order picked up at Polka.PH’s physical store in SM City North EDSA or have it conveniently delivered to your doorstep. Note: Your chosen installment plan will commence shortly after your order has been fulfilled. Choosing the credit card payment option at checkout will make your purchase invalid. Pick your Apple Some cutting-edge Apple products available for your choosing include the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Apple Watch, AirPods, iPad Pro and mini, and the iPhone series (from 11 up to the 14 Pro models). The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro carry Apple’s own silicon chips, M1 and M2, with the latter being available in either 14 and 16 inches. Arguably, the iPhone 11 is the most accessible in the lineup today in terms of price tag, so that can be a feasible option if you’re looking into getting into Apple ownership. If your budget allows, shop the latest iPhone 14 Pro flagship series to enjoy new features such as the Always-On Display and Dynamic Island. Smartphones from top tech brands like Samsung, Tecno, Xiaomi, Oppo, realme, Vivo and Infinix are also available. All products are brand new and come with complete warranty and an official receipt. If you’re keen on experiencing Apple’s premium technology or looking into upgrading your existing device with installment plans that won’t break bank, shop via the SM Malls Online app and Polka.PH today. Check SM Deals for the best deals and offers available at SM Supermalls. The post Flexible installment plans for Apple devices via SM Malls Online and Polka.PH appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China imposes export curbs on critical metals, drones
Chinese controls on exports of two metals critical to making semiconductors came into force on Tuesday, a day after Beijing imposed curbs on the foreign sales of some drones. The Biden administration has in recent months stepped up measures to restrict Chinese companies' access to the most advanced semiconductors. China, which seeks to become self-sufficient in semiconductor design, says those measures are aimed at maintaining US supremacy in the field. From Tuesday, Chinese companies seeking to export gallium or germanium will need to obtain a license, according to a directive from the Ministry of Commerce. Under the new rules, they will also need to provide information on the final recipient and give details about their end use. China accounts for 94 percent of the world's production of gallium -- used in integrated circuits, LEDs and photovoltaic panels -- according to a report by the European Union published this year. For germanium, essential for fiber optics and infrared, China makes up 83 percent of production. The export curbs "send a clear signal that China holds all of the power in this dangerous game", analyst James Kennedy told AFP, calling the curbs "an unambiguous message" to the United States. "If the US chooses further escalation, China's next response will have consequences." For now, he said, China "aims to cause a minimum of damage" to the United States, because their needs in gallium and germanium are "low" and the metals can be acquired elsewhere. The measures come as the Biden administration mulls fresh curbs on Chinese access to high-tech chips, as well as on outbound US investments in China. Drone export ban They also follow curbs by Beijing on the exports of certain types of unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones. As of September 1, exporters will require a license laying out their end use as well as other details before they can be sold overseas. A China commerce ministry spokesperson said the move was not aimed at "any specific country or territory". But they did cite the risk of drones "being converted for military use" in justifying the restrictions. China is a major exporter of drones, with the US-blacklisted DJI representing more than 70 percent of global market share, according to CNBC. The company's drones are reported to have been used extensively by both sides in the war in Ukraine. In April 2022, DJI said it was temporarily suspending business in both Russia and Ukraine while it "internally reassess(ed) compliance requirements". The United States has accused China of mulling arms shipments to support Russia's campaign -- claims Beijing has strongly denied. A US intelligence report last week said Beijing likely supplied Moscow with dual-use civilian-military equipment employed in Ukraine, but noted that it is "difficult to ascertain the extent to which (China) has helped Russia evade and circumvent sanctions and export controls". The post China imposes export curbs on critical metals, drones appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
End callous practice
Airlines’ practice of excessive overbooking, as proven in previous seat sales with huge discounts that resulted in passengers being bumped off, carries stiff penalties if the aggrieved party is persistent enough. The Mandaue City regional trial court recently provided the precedent for complaints from the army of disgruntled flyers when it ordered Cebu Pacific Air to pay P500,000 in damages to Cebu 6th District provincial board member Glenn Soco who was bumped off his scheduled flight from Manila to Cebu. Mandaue City RTC Branch 55 Presiding Judge Ferdinand Rafanan ordered Cebu Pacific to pay moral damages of P200,000, exemplary damages of P200,000, and P100,000 in attorneys and litigation expenses. The catch for Soco is that it took 12 years before he received just compensation for his ordeal, which is a stretch that entailed legal expenses that many Filipinos cannot afford. The compensation may even be short of the amount spent to keep track of the case, including the lawyer’s fees. Soco’s case, however, will greatly contribute to halting the excesses of airline firms through the indiscriminate denial of the service promised to their clients. He sued the airline for “breach of the obligation to transport him,” which he claimed had caused him inconvenience, serious anxiety, physical suffering, and sleepless nights. In Soco’s recounting, he said that on 14 April 2011, he booked a Cebu-Manila roundtrip ticket on Flight 5J 574 going to Manila on 15 April 2011, and on Flight 5J 553 on 16 April 2011, at 10:10 a.m. for his return flight to Cebu. The local executive said his ticket for the flight was confirmed. For his return flight, he arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 and got in the queue for departing passengers. He showed his ticket to one of the ground crew to get his seat number, according to the particulars of the 13-page court decision dated 20 June 2023. Soco, however, was informed by the ground crew that he could not be accommodated on the flight and when he asked for an explanation when he got to the head of the line, the Cebu Pacific personnel could not provide a definite response. Passengers behind him were “egging him to step aside” so they could continue with the queue, according to the court ruling. The scene turned chaotic and caused Soco humiliation, “and he was allegedly able to capture it on his cellphone camera,” the court said. Due to the rebooking, Soco missed his board meetings as the owner of Mandaue Integrated Manpower Services Inc., Coffee Dream Company, and Powerline Human Resources Management Inc. A Cebu Pacific Air guest service manager was quoted in the court ruling as having confirmed that Soco was not able to board. The reason given was that “the system of the defendant airline showed full capacity and he could no longer be accommodated on the flight.” “In situations like this, the standard policy of the defendant airline is to look for other passengers who are willing to volunteer their seats in lieu of other passengers with confirmed tickets who could no longer be accommodated. Otherwise, the passenger will be offered an option to either take the subsequent flight or be given a refund,” the court said. Civil Aeronautics Board Economic Regulation 7 recognizes the practice of airline companies of overbooking that does not exceed 10 percent of the aircraft’s seating capacity. While overbooking is a globally accepted practice, senators in a recent public hearing said systematic delays and cancellations are unacceptable, as well as the lack of appropriate mitigation services and crisis management personnel from the airlines who are supposed to handle complaints. What passengers get for their tribulation is more suffering from the complicated rebooking or refund procedure. The height of insensitivity of airlines is making customers talk to chatbots instead of customer service representatives to make their complaints. They can spend for robots but inconvenienced passengers are given chips and bottled water. The post End callous practice appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ex-Samsung exec charged with stealing secrets for China factory
A former Samsung executive has been charged with stealing company secrets for a copycat computer chip factory in China, and is being held in detention pending trial, prosecutors told AFP on Tuesday. The 65-year-old man, who has not been identified, allegedly stole Samsung trade secrets in a bid to set up a chip factory in the Chinese city of Xian -- near where Samsung has a plant -- the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office said in a separate statement. The material he stole was classified as "national core technology" -- innovations designated by South Korean law as potentially having a major negative impact on national security and the economy if disclosed overseas. "He's currently detained at the Suwon Detention Center," the spokesperson of the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office told AFP, adding the suspect had been held for some time but only formally charged on Monday. Securing supplies of advanced chips has become a crucial issue internationally, with the United States and China locked in a fierce battle for control of the market. Samsung is one of the world's largest makers of memory chips and smartphones, and its overall turnover is equivalent to about one-fifth of South Korea's gross domestic product. The Samsung factory blueprints and clean-room designs from 2018 and 2019 that the man allegedly tried to steal would have been worth at least 300 billion won ($236 million) to Samsung, authorities said. "It is a serious crime that can have a tremendous negative impact on our economic security by shaking the foundation of the domestic semiconductor industry at a time when competition for chip production is intensifying day by day," added the prosecutors' statement, released on Monday. "The semiconductor industry accounted for 16.5 percent of South Korea's total exports as of 2022... and is a national security asset," it added. Prosecutors charged six other people who worked for the detained executive and are believed to have been involved in the theft. The man had worked for a combined 28 years at South Korea's leading chipmakers, and is a "top expert in semiconductor manufacturing" in the country, prosecutors said. The post Ex-Samsung exec charged with stealing secrets for China factory appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NY tribunal clears Bloomberry from heist
The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court upheld on 30 May 2023 an order clearing a unit of Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc. or BRHI from the complaint of Bangladesh Bank regarding an $81-billion online bank heist. A decision and order dated 30 May 2023, received by Bloomberry in the evening of 30 May 2023, upheld the order of the Supreme Court, New York County dated 8 April 2022 which granted the motion to dismiss the Bangladesh central bank’s complaint against Bloomberry unit Solaire resort. Bloomberry Resorts Corp., and its subsidiary Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc., along with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, and Eastern Hawaii Leisure Company, Ltd have all been accused of serious crimes, including conspiracy to commit, fraud, aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit fraud, conversion, theft, misappropriation, and a litany of other charges. Hackers went for $1B The suit was related to the attack on Bangladesh Bank by North Korean hackers in 2016 that resulted to the syphoning off a total of $1 billion from the bank’s accounts. The hackers attacked the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which responded rapidly, blocking the majority of the transfers, but after letting $101 million slip through. The bank was able to retrieve $20 million of these funds, but the remaining $81 million remained unaccounted. In the probe on how the remainder of the money was used, it was found the majority of the funds were channeled through various casinos and gambling properties and used to buy gaming chips and play in junket rooms. The hackers were successful in transferring the money because the criminals specifically launched their attack during the long weekend. Since the racket took place, Bangladesh Bank has been looking to recover the missing funds, essentially accusing the defendants of not acting in good conscience when it came to examining the source of funds and flagging the matter with authorities in a timely fashion. With the latest rulings, however, it’s unlikely for Bangladesh Bank to recoup any further of the missing funds. The post NY tribunal clears Bloomberry from heist appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Unveiling AI products, Nvidia chief says tech at ‘tipping point’
Nvidia chief Jensen Huang said the world was at "the tipping point of a new computer era" as he unveiled a raft of AI-related products Monday in his first public speech in four years at a Taiwan tech trade show. The US firm, which specializes in chips coveted in the artificial intelligence boom, saw its value surge to nearly $1 trillion last week, after the company's quarterly earnings report blew past expectations. Nvidia is known for creating graphics chips long coveted by gamers but which have become engines for the kind of complex processes involved in artificial intelligence, known as accelerated computing. Its chips are a central ingredient to the generative AI revolution, capable of delivering the computing heft needed to churn out complex content in just seconds from data centers around the world. In Taipei on Monday, the Taiwanese-American CEO expressed excitement to be back at the Computex forum, one of the largest trade shows for the sector. "Our first live event in almost four years! I haven't given a public speech in four years -- wish me luck!" he said. Huang's two-hour presentation introduced a dizzying host of new products -- including an AI supercomputer platform called DGX GH200, which he said is now "in full production". “We're so excited that Google Cloud, Meta and Microsoft will be the first companies in the world to have access," he added. "They will be doing be doing exploratory research on the pioneering front, the boundaries of artificial intelligence, with us." The new supercomputer will -- in theory -- help the tech industry as it seeks to create more AI-related products, which require more complex computing tasks. "This is really one of the first major times in history a new computing model has been developed and created," he said, referring to accelerated computing. "We have now reached the tipping point of a new computing era." Founded 30 years ago by Huang, Nvidia was initially a star in the video game world. The Silicon Valley-based company has since built its reputation on making graphics processing units, which ramp up image quality and vanquish response lag time for gamers. Its shares soared more than 25 percent Wednesday after an earnings report showed the AI trend is fueling demand for its sophisticated chips. The post Unveiling AI products, Nvidia chief says tech at ‘tipping point’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PH eyes modest $31-M export deals at China expo participation
The Philippine delegation is targeting to attract over 1,300 buyers and generate a modest $31 million worth export deals at the upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE), significantly lower than the $300 million the Philippines realized during last year’s China International Import Exposition (CIIE). Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the apparently lower sales target this year may mean on the spot deals only and may not include post CIIE sales attributed to said expo. “Factoring also that this year is Pandemic year. This is a hybrid show this year, where the goods are displayed but negotiations are done via the online B2B facility. The target is also based on the reduced pavilion size this year, as well as the projected decrease in the number of buyers attending CIIE this year,” said Lopez. Philippine mango and pili nuts are among the products that will be showcased under the FOODPhilippines Pavilion. Already, DTI’s Export Marketing Board and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) facilitated initial talks with the Philippine delegation and 40 Chinese buyers in a video conferencing. These Chinese buyers are importers, distributors, and retailers. During last year’s CIIE, Philippine exhibitors booked around $300 million in sales at the second CIIE, more than double the $124 million recorded sales in 2018. This year’s third CIIE will be held on Nov. 5-10 in Shanghai. In the B2B session, Chinese buyers expressed interest in working together with Philippine companies that produce fresh fruits and vegetables, chocolates, healthy snacks, seafood, beverages, and condiments. For this hybrid participation, there will be a mix of physical product presentation in the pavilion that will be facilitated by onsite officers from the DTI trade posts in China and online B2B matching activities between our companies in Manila and the Chinese buyers who will visit the Philippine booth in Shanghai, according to CITEM Executive Director Pauline Suaco-Juan. With the theme “Healthy and Natural,” 40 Philippine companies will exhibit and sample the country’s wide range of tropical fruits and vegetables, processed fruits and nuts, healthy snacks, seafood and marine products, and other premium food selections. The FOODPhilippines pavilion will feature interactive conference pods for the first time in CIIE to enable virtual business-to-business (B2B) activities and video conferencing. In place of actual Philippine exhibitors manning the booths, Philippine Commercial Counsellors will represent the government and exhibitors, promote exhibitor brands and products onsite, and relay all business leads and contacts generated during the show. The participation in CIIE is organized in partnership with the Foreign Trade Services Corps (FTSC) through the Philippine Trade & Investment Centers (PTICs) in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong, and the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB). Government partners are the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Office of the Agricultural Counsellor in Beijing (DA-OAC-Beijing) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The Philippine mango and pili nuts are among the products that will be showcased under the FOODPhilippines Pavilion.project is likewise supported by business associations such as the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) and the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII). Leading the FOODPhilippines’ opening in CIIE are representatives from the Philippines and China, namely the Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago Sta. Romana, Philippines’ DTI Secretary Ramon M. Lopez, FFCCCII President Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong, and Deputy Director General Yang Weiqun from the Department of Asian Affairs of China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). Under the FOODPhilippines delegation, 40 companies that will highlight tropical fruits and vegetables will be Hilas Marketing Corporation, Agrinurture, Inc., Mancoco Food Processing, Inc., Excellent Quality Goods Supply Company, Castillo Import Export Ventures Inc., Doxo International Trading, Magsasakang Progresibo Marketing Cooperative, See’s International Food Mfg, Corp., Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures, Inc., Team Asia Corporation, Eau de Coco, Inc., Eng Seng Food Products, Greenlife Coconut Products Philippines, Inc., Tongsan Industrial Development Corporation, Islandfun Inc., Limketkai Manufacturing Corporation (LMC), KLT Fruits, Inc., Zigmund Enterprise, Business Innovations Gateway, Inc., Sangkutsa Food Products, Inc., AG Grays Farm, Marigold Manufacturing Corporation, and the Federation of People’s Sustainable Development Cooperative. To show its goodwill to the Chinese market, the Philippine delegation will donate healthy products to Food Bank China as part of the launch of the Shanghai Food Bank Project with Liwayway China on November 5. The donation will include 200 packs of banana chips from Excellent Quality Goods Supply Company, 50 tuna packs of premium handline tuna from Century Pacific Food Inc., and bundles of virgin coconut oil (VCO) and various coconut products from Team Asia Corporation. The food donation to the Food Bank China serves as a way of giving back and a token of appreciation to the Chinese community for its continued support towards the Filipino representatives and communities in China, according to Commercial Vice Consul Mario Tani of the PTIC in Shanghai. Meanwhile, healthy snack varieties will be showcased by Magic Melt Foods Inc., Sandria’s Delicious Concept, Vegetari Vegetarian Products, Market Reach International Resources, SL Agritech Corporation, and the Philippine Franchise Association. Tuna and other seafood selections will be presented by Century Pacific Food Inc., Universal Canning, Inc., Fisher Farms, Incorporated, Jam Seafoods, Inc., Phil. Union Frozen Foods, Inc., and Gerabuenas Trading. Likewise, premium food selections will be offered by Global Basic Co., Ltd, Subic Superfood Incorporated, Chocoloco, Inc., Filipinas de Oro de Cacao, Inc., and Seabeth Food Processing......»»