A week's worth of tech news that takes you 5 minutes to read

Welcome to this week's Smartology Sunday Download! What we do is simple: we break down a week's worth of tech news in 5 minutes or less so you can stay informed and up to date.

In return, we ask that you share it with a friend or colleague instead of keeping the Smartology goodness all to yourself. While greed may be good on Wall Street, sharing is caring here at Smartology. 🤝

Lots of stuff to go through, so let's not waste any time. Highlights of this week's issue include:

• OpenAI’s CEO meets with Congress

• Official ChatGPT mobile app lauches

• The game-changing laptop is here (pictures below)

Total read time: 4 minutes and 32 seconds. Let's goooooo! 🚀

Sam Altman dazzles Congress

Lawmakers gathered for a Senate hearing on artificial intelligence (AI) and unanimously agreed that AI regulation should not be a repeat of the "oopsie" moments when social media emerged. In a surprising display of intellect and common sense, they acknowledged that while AI can cause even greater chaos at lightning speed, it's like comparing a tornado to a gust of wind when it comes to potential harm. Amidst the banter, they threw around ideas like creating new AI regulatory agencies or maybe issuing licenses for AI.

The hearing followed a swanky dinner where the CEO of OpenAI wined and dined with House lawmakers, giving them a crash course on the perils and possibilities of AI.

The atmosphere at the hearing was a mix of skepticism and restraint. They couldn't resist mentioning Section 230, the tech industry's beloved legal liability shield, which they (congress) claimed should no longer be the "get out of jail free" card. In the end, they applauded the CEO's willingness to be regulated, calling it a refreshing change from the usual tech dance of "regulate them, not us." Let's hope this promising show of cooperation doesn't end up as mere lip service like some Big Tech consent decrees.

Robot butlers get closer to reality

Sanctuary AI, a Vancouver-based firm, has unveiled its humanoid robot named Phoenix, standing 5'7" tall and weighing 155 pounds. The robot boasts complex hands with 20 degrees of freedom and proprietary haptic technology to mimic the sense of touch. In a limited pilot at a retail store, Phoenix's predecessor successfully completed various tasks, including merchandise handling and cleaning.

The company aims to create a general-purpose robot capable of performing a wide range of work tasks. Sanctuary's Carbon platform, which incorporates its proprietary AI control system, plays a crucial role in achieving this goal.

Sanctuary has received significant funding, including a Series A investment of nearly $60 million and a $30 million investment from the Canadian government. While Phoenix may not have the sleek appearance of renderings, it represents a significant milestone in the development of humanoid robots.

Tesla also launched a video showing their robots in action. Check it out here.

New security threats

Google's addition of eight new top-level domains (TLDs) to the Internet has raised concerns that two of them, .zip and .mov, could be exploited by scammers. While Google's intention behind these TLDs is to represent concepts like "tying things together" and "moving pictures," they are already commonly associated with archive files and Apple's QuickTime video format. This could lead to confusion when these TLDs are used in emails or social media, as automatic conversion of strings into clickable links may redirect users to potentially malicious domains. Security practitioners warn that scammers could register domain names similar to commonly used file names and exploit this ambiguity to trick users into downloading harmful content. Read more here.

28 year old billionaire buys Forbes

Austin Russell, the founder and CEO of Luminar, a company developing technologies for self-driving cars, is buying an 82% stake in Forbes Global Media Holdings for nearly $800 million. Russell's acquisition includes the portion owned by the Forbes family, who sold 95% of the company in 2014. Luminar itself went public through a merger in 2021 but has seen a decline in its market value. The acquisition of Forbes raises questions about Russell's focus and the future of both Luminar and the media company. Russell, described as the world's youngest self-made billionaire, stated that he admires Forbes as a brand and aims to grow the business and promote philanthropy within it. Read more here.

ChatGPT launches the mobile app

After months of fake apps flooding the marketplace, OpenAI has launched an official iOS app for its ChatGPT AI chatbot, allowing users to access the service on the go. The free app offers voice input and syncs with the web interface, providing a seamless experience across devices. ChatGPT Plus subscribers can access GPT-4's capabilities through the app. The release of the app could impact Apple's Siri and Google's search engine, as users may opt for ChatGPT as their primary mobile helper. The app will initially be available to U.S. users, with expansion to other countries and an Android version coming soon.

WhatsApp launches Chat Lock

WhatsApp has introduced a new "Chat Lock" feature to provide users with an added layer of security for their private conversations. The feature allows users to lock specific chats behind a password or biometric authentication and hides their contents in notifications. WhatsApp plans to add more options for Chat Lock in the future. The update follows recent additions to the platform, including single-vote polls and the ability to forward media with captions. Read more here.

IRS direct online file coming soon

The IRS is testing a free online tax-filing program that could lead to a full-scale electronic filing system similar to TurboTax and TaxSlayer. The agency estimates the direct filing system could cost between $64.3 million and $248.9 million annually, depending on usage. A pilot program may launch in January 2024, and funding for a complete program would need congressional approval. The initiative aims to make tax filing easier and more affordable for taxpayers. Soon to come: AI driven IRS “agents”. Read more here.

Cool product of the week: a screenless laptop

Sightful has introduced what could possibly be the coolest laptop on the market. It’s called Spacetop and it eliminates the need for a screen and uses augmented reality (AR) to create a virtual 100-inch display. The laptop features a rubberized cover with thin, tethered AR glasses that display a curved virtual monitor. Users can pin and resize windowed apps on the virtual display, providing a private and spacious working experience. Priced at $2,000, the Spacetop is designed for business travelers and offers optimized hardware, including an Arm processor and a custom headset. Sightful plans to sell the Spacetop to a limited number of early adopters for feedback. You can click on the article here for more but check out the pictures:

Rapid Fire

• Apple iOS 16.5 update: What to expect

• ESPN ready to go solo and leave the cable companies stranded

• New gene editing technology is trying to make vegetables taste like skittles

• Microsoft’s $69 billion deal to acquire mega gaming company Activison gets formal EU approval 

• The state of Georgia goes digital with Apple Wallet support for your driver’s license

• Instagram getting closer to launching it’s Twitter clone

• Get a free 55” tv if you’re willing to have ads displayed 24/7

• Tesla announces 2 new model car

• Apple “text to voice” can now copy your voice with about 15 minutes of training

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