In Short:
– AWS outage on Monday disrupted major apps like Fortnite, Snapchat, and affected several global companies.
– UK companies including Lloyds Bank and Vodafone reported issues due to the AWS outage.

Amazon’s AWS experienced a significant outage on Monday, impacting major apps including Fortnite and Snapchat. The disruption affected connectivity for numerous companies globally.AWS reported increased error rates and latencies across multiple services and is attempting to recover quickly.

The outage marks the first significant internet disruption since a previous incident last year that impacted essential technology systems globally. AWS offers on-demand computing and storage services and is vital for many websites and platforms.

Multiple companies reported disruptions, including AI startup Perplexity, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, and trading app Robinhood. Perplexity’s CEO confirmed on X that the outages were linked to AWS issues.

Amazon’s shopping site, Prime Video, and Alexa services also faced difficulties, according to Downdetector. Other affected platforms included popular gaming applications like Clash Royale and financial services such as Venmo and Chime.

Uber competitor Lyft’s app was reported down for numerous users in the U.S. Messaging platform Signal also acknowledged connection problems stemming from the AWS outage.

British Companies

In the UK, Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, and telecom services provider Vodafone were notably affected. The HMRC’s website also encountered issues during this outage.

Elon Musk stated that his platform, X, remained operational despite the widespread disruptions.

In Short:
– Elon Musk announced X’s transition to the AI-driven Grok recommendation system within four to six weeks.
– Grok will personalise content based on real-time user engagement and improve visibility for smaller creators.

Elon Musk has announced that X will transition to a fully AI-driven recommendation system called Grok within four to six weeks. This move will eliminate all heuristic-based algorithms and represents a significant shift in how content is distributed on the platform.Grok will analyse over 100 million posts and videos daily to tailor content to individual user interests. Unlike traditional algorithms, it will learn from real-time user engagement to provide personalized recommendations.

The evolution aims to solve issues faced by smaller content creators, ensuring their quality posts gain visibility. Grok will assess posts holistically, rather than strictly adhering to predetermined rules.

Feed Control

Users will have enhanced control over their feeds through natural language commands. Musk stated that users can request overall adjustments, such as “show more tech news” or “less politics,” simplifying the customization process.

This aligns with Musk’s vision of integrating AI across his ventures, including Tesla and SpaceX. Grok, a product of Musk’s xAI, started as a conversational assistant and now has 64 million monthly users.

Alongside this AI-centric strategy, Musk acknowledged shortcomings in X’s creator payment system, admitting it has failed to compensate content creators adequately compared to platforms like YouTube. This reflects ongoing efforts to improve sustainability for creators as technology evolves on the platform.

In Short:
– Representative John Moolenaar warns of national security risks with TikTok’s algorithm licensing deal.
– Moolenaar seeks details on the agreement while emphasising concerns over Chinese influence and ownership limitations.

The chair of the House Select Committee on China, Representative John Moolenaar, expressed serious concerns regarding a potential licensing agreement for TikTok’s algorithm.

The deal would arise from Chinese company ByteDance’s efforts to sell its U.S. assets related to the short video app.Moolenaar awaits further details about the arrangement, which White House officials indicated would involve the new ownership licensing the algorithm.

He explained the risks associated with China maintaining influence over the algorithm, stating, “anytime you have (China) with leverage over the algorithm, I think that’s a problem.”

President Donald Trump previously signed an executive order asserting that the sale of TikTok’s U.S. operations meets national security requirements, allowing 120 days for the transaction’s completion. Moolenaar noted that technology experts question whether the algorithm can be effectively reprogrammed.

Detailed Concerns

The executive order also stated that the U.S. company’s security partners would retrain and monitor the algorithm, placing it under the control of the new joint venture.

Under the agreement, ByteDance would appoint one board member out of seven in the new entity, while Americans would occupy the remaining six seats.

The arrangement mandates that ByteDance maintain less than a 20% ownership stake in TikTok U.S. to comply with a 2024 law threatening to shut down the app by January 2025 if the Chinese parent company does not divest its U.S. assets.

Holders of key positions worry about potential national security risks linked to algorithm control.