🌎 World & Economics

Amazon's Enhanced Alexa Set for Mid-October Launch with AI Advancements

The Verge

Amazon plans to launch an enhanced version of Alexa this year, integrating Anthropic's Claude AI model to improve performance over its previous in-house models, which struggled with user interactions. Following a $4 billion investment in Anthropic, the new Alexa is expected to come with features like daily AI-generated news summaries, a child-friendly chatbot, and conversational shopping tools, targeting a mid-October release date. The introduction may involve a subscription model ranging from $5 to $10 per month, while still offering Classic Alexa as a free service. The UK’s competition regulators are currently investigating Amazon's minority stake in Anthropic.

Poll Shows Americans Divided on Impact of AI Technology

Vox

AI is gaining both enthusiastic users and vocal skeptics, with a Gallup poll revealing that twice as many Americans believe AI causes more harm than good. While frustrations arise from the prevalence of low-quality, AI-generated content, there are valid applications of the technology that enhance creativity and efficiency, especially for specific tasks. The rapid development of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, has transformed user engagement, revealing both the potential benefits and challenges of this new technology. As society navigates the landscape shaped by AI, focusing on responsible oversight and innovation is crucial to harnessing its positive aspects while mitigating risks.

Asia Pacific Region Set for Data Center Boom by 2030

CCN

The Asia Pacific region is on track to host nearly 3,000 data centers by 2030, with China leading the investment surge, having allocated 43.5 billion yuan ($6.12 billion) in digital infrastructure since 2022. While the region currently houses 1,811 colocation data centers, investment growth is bolstered by significant commitments from Big Tech firms, such as Microsoft's planned expenditures of at least $6.8 billion across Japan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Amid increasing US sanctions, China's data center project "Eastern Data, Western Computing" aims to enhance domestic data sovereignty and innovation by establishing eight major hubs primarily in the west. In contrast, Western firms remain cautious in China due to regulatory challenges while actively pursuing opportunities in emerging markets like Vietnam, where data localization laws now mandate local data storage.

 📈 Stocks / Finance

Investors Monitor Key Indicators on August's Final Trading Day

CNBC

Investors prepared for September with a focus on the performance of the tech sector and potential recession signals as discussions highlighted the vulnerability of major indices like the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500 to declines in big-cap tech stocks. The Dow Jones Transportation Average rebounded following a sell-off, driven by expectations of an impending Federal Reserve rate-cut cycle, though concerns arose regarding possible strikes from the International Longshoreman's Association that could disrupt freight flows. Regional banks were identified as a key indicator for the health of small- and mid-cap stocks, benefitting from an improving yield curve. Finally, market participants navigated through critical upcoming economic data, including the PCE Price Index and the jobs report, which are anticipated to shape the investing climate.

New Feature Allows BTC to Cash Transactions at US ATMs

Coin Telegraph

NCR Atleos has introduced the LibertyX Bitcoin Cashout feature, enabling U.S. customers to convert Bitcoin sales into cash at ATMs. By using a dedicated app, customers can pre-stage their transactions, select an ATM, and retrieve cash using a unique access code. This service will initially be available at ATMs across more than 30 states, although these machines represent only a small portion of the 280,000 ATMs operated by Atleos. Despite challenges in the market, including regulatory hurdles and a recent dip in ATM installations, LibertyX aims to simplify the conversion process from Bitcoin to cash, thus enhancing consumer adoption.