After two months of testing its new natural language-based AI tool&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rashishrivastava/2023/03/16/microsoft-announces-new-ai-powered-tools-for-its-office-apps/?sh=5edc5d075bce">Copilot</a>&nbsp;with 20 large companies, Microsoft announced an expanded preview of the feature on Tuesday for 600 customers, widening access to a tool embedded in its Office application that was initially met with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/17/23644501/microsoft-copilot-ai-office-documents-microsoft-365-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reviews as a game-changer</a>.



The “early access” program will be invitation only and a paid preview that requires an additional fee, said Jared Spataro, Microsoft’s corporate vice president for modern work, who would not share when the tech giant planned to roll out the program more widely to its full customer base, even though “the demand to me seems almost bottomless right now,” Spataro said in an interview with&nbsp;Forbes. “I don’t talk to a customer right now that isn’t interested in it.” The company said it is not disclosing pricing externally.



Spataro said early customers reported Copilot’s meeting tools—the ability to summarize what happened in a missed meeting and act as a real-time assistant while a meeting is going on—have been most frequently cited by early customers as particularly useful. In a blog post, he also identified early feedback Microsoft has gotten on the tool, such as the need for more conversational, multi-step interactions with Copilot.



Asked about concerns that generative AI tools might&nbsp;<a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/chatgpt-poised-to-expose-corporate-secrets-cyber-firm-warns" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expose</a>&nbsp;corporate secrets or customer information—with some employers even instituting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-02/samsung-bans-chatgpt-and-other-generative-ai-use-by-staff-after-leak" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bans</a>&nbsp;of ChatGPT’s use following leaks of sensitive data—Spataro said Copilot does not use corporate users’ data to “train” the larger model.



“Everything that happens related to large language models and the use of AI happens within what we call a ‘tenant boundary’” in the Microsoft Cloud, Spataro says. “No data ever leaves your ‘tenant’ and no data is ever used to train the large language models. Even those statements give us a really good foundation with most customers.”



The company, which purchased an exclusive license to the underlying technology behind ChatGPT&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/09/22/microsoft-teams-up-with-openai-to-exclusively-license-gpt-3-language-model/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in 2020</a>, also announced a new “semantic index” capability that will require Microsoft 365 users to have its E3 and E5 versions to access Copilot’s capabilities. Rather than finding files by title names or keywords, Microsoft says the feature maps data and uses a conceptual understanding of the data to retrieve it.



Microsoft also announced new features on Copilot such as integrating DALL-E, OpenAI’s image generator, into PowerPoint and adding AI-powered coaching tips in Outlook to improve email writing, an enhancement that could help workers struggling with the “digital debt” phenomenon Microsoft identified in its&nbsp;annual&nbsp;<a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-trend-index" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Work Trend Index</a>, the results of which it also released Tuesday.



The report, which surveyed 31,000 people in 31 countries and analyzed data from Microsoft 365, found that 68% of respondents said they don’t have enough uninterrupted time during the workday to focus. It also found that nearly 60% of users’ time spent in Microsoft 365 is using communication tools like Outlook or Teams, with just over 40% being used for actually producing work with tools like Excel or Word. The heaviest email users, the analysis found, spend nearly nine hours a week on email, while the most prolific Teams users spend 7.5 hours a week in meetings.



Respondents cited ineffective meetings—not too many meetings—as their biggest obstacle to productivity in the survey. Microsoft, of course, hopes its customers will add on AI features that will help change that. “What many people are feeling now is it takes work to do work,” Spataro says.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jenamcgregor/"></a>By Jena McGregor, Forbes Staff

Logo Photo Illustration

Microsoft Expands Copilot AI Tool To 600 Customers In Paid Preview As ‘Digital Debt’ Weighs On Workers

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is worsening by the day and within the first month of violence, erupting on April 15, at least 700 people have been killed&#8230;and counting. Those fighting vow to do so until death–or at least until they’re exhausted or one of the sides has a military breakthrough.



Pitted against each other are the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), controlled by Mohamed Hamdan ‘Hemedti’ Dagalo. In their fight to control the country, the two generals are seemingly committed to destroying each other which is why observers don’t foresee an end to the conflict any time soon.



Sudan was one of the first African countries to gain independence from British rule after World War II, but its governance has always been compromised and is reflected in the country’s numerous civil wars. The latest violence can be traced directly back to the ousting of former military officer and head of state, Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, in 2019, that was coordinated by the RSF and the SAF. But a power-sharing deal between the generals soon turned into a deadly power struggle.



RSF is a proxy militia that was historically used against the people of Sudan in marginalized regions. They’ve reportedly been found guilty of mass killings and rapes, pillage, torture, and the destruction of villages. Its key leaders have been indicted by the International Criminal Court of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.



Since the start of the current conflict, a variety of voices with different motives and backgrounds have called for the continuation of the war, in the belief that this will eliminate the RSF once and for all. In the eyes of many members of Bashir’s former regime, the RSF represents the main obstacle preventing them from re-seizing power.



Peace talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, have so far failed to end the violence. Brokered by Riyadh and Washington, thousands of foreign nationals have been ferried out of the country. Sudanese journalist Mohamed Amen is following the talks and says: “Recent strides towards a ceasefire open the passage for relief aid in many parts of Sudan, especially Darfur…Amid all these tensions, people are still fleeing the capital Khartoum and other parts of the country. The humanitarian situation in Khartoum continues to deteriorate because of the fighting that is still continuing. The lack of food, the cutting off of water and electricity, and the shortage of fuel and other basic needs are mainly caused by the two sides not honoring the various ceasefires that were previously put in place.”



The humanitarian situation is nothing short of catastrophic. The conflict has driven many to seek refuge in neighboring countries. Hospitals are under pressure. Many are without water and electricity and have been vandalized. Health practitioners’ and patients’ lives are also in danger and Sudanese doctors are warning of a healthcare crisis. A call for humanitarian aid has so far delivered too little to salvage the situation.



The war has also left many jobless and exacerbated an already deflated economy.



Homes have been destroyed, families torn apart and many civilians have looted shops in a desperate effort to get some food.



Sadly, the instability is also creating new opportunities for armed groups and there are reports of them taking over laboratories for infectious diseases. Former staff are worried there might be a bio-risk if they open and sabotage fridges.



Sudanese civil wars are rooted in the historical context of the country, with the first one breaking out in 1955 to 1972.Until today, the second Sudanese civil war (1983-2005) remains one of the longest civil wars to ever erupt in Africa. Although it led to South Sudan eventually gaining independence from Khartoum, it left poverty and dependency on foreign aid in its wake. The latest conflict only exacerbates the situation, with infrastructure now even more dilapidated, poverty even worse and Sudanese people in greater despair.

Clashes continue in Sudan

Sudan Crisis: ‘Situation In Khartoum Continues To Deteriorate’

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Stocks gained Wednesday thanks in part to another artificial intelligence-powered lift, as optimism emanating from the nascent technology keeps driving equities higher against a suboptimal macroeconomic backdrop.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&amp;P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq each rose 1.2% or more Wednesday, just the third time that happened since the beginning of April.



Yet again driving the gains were tech heavyweights, as Tesla (up 4.4%), Nvidia (3.4%), Amazon 1.8%), Meta (1.5%), Alphabet (1.3%), Microsoft (0.9%) and Apple (0.3%) spiked, tacking on a combined $123 billion in market capitalization Wednesday.



Those giants, which have rallied more than $1 trillion year-to-date collectively thanks in large part to the AI boom, offered more fuel for optimistic investors Wednesday, with Amazon&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-17/amazon-unveils-new-alexa-gadgets-as-chatgpt-rivalry-heats-up" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announcing</a>&nbsp;AI enhancements to its Alexa devices and Nvidia&nbsp;<a href="https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/servicenow-and-nvidia-announce-partnership-to-build-generative-ai-across-enterprise-it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unveiling</a>&nbsp;a new partnership with ServiceNow to expand generative AI in cloud computing.



Hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen declared Tuesday he has a “pretty bullish” outlook on the market as a whole thanks to streamlined corporate efficiency from AI,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-05-17/steve-cohen-says-he-s-pretty-bullish-on-markets-thanks-to-ai?srnd=premium" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to Bloomberg.



“I’m making a prognostication: We’re going up,” Cohen said about broad equity prices, explaining increased automation should widen corporate profits in coming quarters.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">CONTRA</h2>



The S&amp;P is up 9% year-to-date and excitement about what AI could mean for investors is at a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/03/01/ai-is-the-new-electricity-bank-of-america-picks-20-stocks-to-cash-in-on-chatgpt-hype/?sh=55bfdf2a77ac">fever pitch</a>, but stocks will encounter a “rocky road” later this year, Wells Fargo strategist Scott Wren wrote in a Wednesday note to clients. Wren explained the strong likelihood of the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/04/12/fed-officials-now-expect-us-will-enter-mild-recession-this-year-after-banking-crisis-rattles-markets/?sh=5433b921107c">slipping into</a>&nbsp;a recession and his expectation that companies will fail to deliver on profit expectations thanks to thinner margins as interest rates remain high. Earnings for S&amp;P companies declined by 6.8% year-over-year in the most recent quarter, according to recent Morgan Stanley research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



Tesla, which hosted its annual meeting with shareholders after Tuesday’s market close, posted its second-largest daily stock gain since March, tacking on $25 billion in market value after it said it will advertise its vehicle for the first time and its CEO Elon Musk vowed to remain in charge for the foreseeable future. Musk, who&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/05/16/elon-musks-attack-on-george-soros-distressing-and-dangerous-jewish-group-says/?sh=7ad31cc130ba">drew the ire</a>&nbsp;of several Jewish civil rights groups this week for touting conspiracies mirroring antisemitic tropes about billionaire George Soros, added the most to his net worth of anybody on earth Wednesday with a $5 billion bump.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forbes-valuations">FORBES VALUATIONS</h2>



Musk holds the second-largest fortune in the world at $181 billion, while Cohen is owner of the planet’s 93rd-largest wealth pile at $17.5 billion. Cohen chairs Point72 Asset Management and owns the New York Mets MLB team.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Since the late 2022 launch of the Microsoft-subsidized ChatGPT generative AI product, AI fever has infected Wall Street; Bank of America strategists dubbed AI the “new electricity” in a March note, projecting it to create massive gains for stocks. A slew of technology companies have revealed their own AI services, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanponciano/2023/04/29/this-stock-market-indicator-is-the-weakest-its-ever-been-and-other-warning-signs-are-flaring/?sh=162f37947b4c">benefitting the most</a>&nbsp;are mega-cap tech stocks like Nvidia, Meta, Alphabet and Amazon, four of the 20 best-performing stocks on the S&amp;P year-to-date.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/03/01/ai-is-the-new-electricity-bank-of-america-picks-20-stocks-to-cash-in-on-chatgpt-hype/?sh=55bfdf2a77ac">‘AI Is The New Electricity’: Bank Of America Picks 20 Stocks To Cash In On ChatGPT Hype</a> (Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/"></a>By Derek Saul, Forbes Staff

Markets Open After Falling More 800 Points On Tuesday

Dow Jumps 400 Points As This Billionaire Investor Says Stock Market Has Room To Grow

Rwandan cinema is coming of age, with a new wave of artistes and filmmakers bent on reiterating the country’s indomitable creative spirit and putting its movies on the international map. 



By Ridhima Shukla



The first feature film to ever come out of Rwanda was in 2001 titled 100 Days, a love story set against the backdrop of the brutal genocide against the Tutsi of 1994 directed by British filmmaker Nick Hughes.



In the years since, there have been more movies made in the tiny East African nation, although this has been a journey of risk and resilience in nabbing the top honors on the big screen .



Still busy building itself from scratch since the horrific events of 1994 that saw almost a million dead, as also building the capacity and infrastructure for large-scale movie production in tande with other development projects, Rwanda had not had a prevailing cinema culture in general. 



Mazimpaka Jones Kennedy, a veteran of the African film industry, says to FORBES AFRICA: “Rwandans did not have the culture of buying a ticket and going to the cinema, but things are changing. There is so much talent in the country and everyone loves films; we have come a long way!” 



With the spurt of growth and development in Rwanda, the nation’s artistes and creatives are exploring the myriad possibilities.



The creative sector has changed its narrative and today, Rwandans are being recognized for their work in international projects; their faces are on big budget films and their names are being played up across Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming platforms.



But this story began with the pioneers in the early 2000s.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/332099011_210837238143155_5126690596300338503_n-819x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58243" width="540" height="675" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/332099011_210837238143155_5126690596300338503_n-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/332099011_210837238143155_5126690596300338503_n-240x300.jpg 240w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/332099011_210837238143155_5126690596300338503_n-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/332099011_210837238143155_5126690596300338503_n.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Elaine Umuhire. Photo by Nadia Melii </figcaption></figure></div>


In 2004, Eric Kabera, a name synonymous with the Rwandan film industry, established the Rwanda Cinema Centre for training local talent and providing a launchpad for future filmmakers. He is focused on telling a new tale of hope and resilience in Africa.



At the same time, a larger influx of foreign producers, directors, actors and film crews made their way into Rwanda, instigating a passion for filmmaking among Rwandans and leading to the rise of a new wave of creatives who see cinema as a tool to tell their story and assist in the healing of the country’s people.



“We started by telling stories around the genocide. Because it was important for healing, and commemorating the lives that were lost,” says Eliane Umuhire, an award-winning Rwandan actress known for her role in the BAFTA-nominated Bazigaga.



Whilst Rwandans were beginning to take an interest in cinematography, and the passion for the craft was becoming more prevalent, the industry still lacked the necessary skills needed to create full feature films.



Authentic and compelling stories were being written but with a massive skills gap, the industry was struggling to scale up and become more lucrative. 



Christopher Marler, who founded the Africa Digital Media Academy in Rwanda in 2014 to bridge the necessary gaps in the industry, says: “The industry is still young and does not have a lot of money. On the other hand, how can the industry make more money if it does not have the skilled workers it needs? There are plenty of people that have the vision for film, but making it happen… that’s another story.”



He says his graduates are doing well. 



“It’s a bit old now, but in 2018, we did a tracer survey and discovered that we had a 91% employment rate amongst our graduates, not just because of their technical skills, but because they also know how to be professionals.”



But even before the inception of such institutes, Umuhire, the protagonist of Trees of Peace, paved the way with the help of likeminded and passionate artists, a tremendous testimony to Rwanda’s creative spirit.



“I started in theater and there was no cinema industry as such, even theater was in the early stages. There were two theater companies both led by women. They are the ones who walked me on [my] artistic journey,” says Umuhire from her film set in an international production studio in London where she is shooting her yet-to-be-announced next project.



“I want to share my story to inspire others that anything is possible. By working in international productions I can say that I can be black, with no hair, short and not the normal standard of beauty, yet make an impact on someone… all these people are testimony to that. We can tell our own stories.”



The story of the African people told by African people is becoming the norm and Rwanda has a major role to play in it. Today, the land of a thousand hills is a shining beacon of political and economic stability – and its cinema landscape is a reflection of a modern society embracing its past and channeling it into unity, growth and development.



Cinema has taken up the role as a medium for Rwandans to own their story and change the perception of the world about Rwanda.



Umuhire shares what it has meant for her to work on a story that does not simply focus on the chaos and brutality of the past but also bring to light the humanity of the continent’s people. 



“I played a character in a short film that played at the BAFTA, about a Rwandan shaman, a traditional healer who saved 200 Tutsi people. It’s beautiful to tell a story like that, about people who were the light in the deep dark history of Rwanda and who did good. Without this story, no one would have known. It portrays an African woman not as a victim but as a winner, saving lives.”



By being the compass and propellers of the African narrative, Rwanda is looking to create more buzz globally and within the continent with bigger productions portraying a new, fast-growing and changing Africa.



This ambition has opened doors for OTT content to thrive.



Moving hand in hand with improved access to mobile devices and the internet, OTT films and series are the new trend in East Africa; one that is here to stay and grow exponentially. Wilson Misago, the Founder and CEO of Zacu TV, a production and distribution house in Rwanda, says: “According to a report by Africa Business Communities, the OTT market in East Africa is projected to grow by 17% annually, reaching a value of $392 million by 2025.”



The rise of OTT has compensated for the lack of distribution avenues in the region by serving as a valuable distribution channel for local content creators, who are able to reach wider audiences and monetize their content through ad-supported or subscription-based models. “In Rwanda, there is a growing interest in locally-produced content, particularly in the Kinyarwanda language. Viewers are interested in stories that are relevant to their culture and experiences, including dramas, comedies and documentaries that address social issues,” adds Misago.



“Rwanda, by itself, is a small market. Now we have, through Canal+ and other efforts, a way to distribute and promote films to all of Africa. This, in turn, makes it more interesting for investors to finance production. The other big change is that we are finally getting some international attention. Distribution plus exposure equals the funding of productions,” concurs Marler.



In a matter of 20 years, the country has gone from having not a single movie theater to having several, and from having no homegrown productions to a thriving movie industry with the potential to grow into one of the biggest sectors of the economy.



In contrast to the past when actors were hired from other parts of Africa to play Rwandans, today, many Rwandans work in international projects as actors. Actor Arthur Nkusi considers it a natural progression. He played a supporting role in the film Fight Like A Girl with Rwandan actress, Malaika Uwamahoro.



“Rwandan actors have grown in terms of the experience of participating on international sets; today, the chances of being cast are much higher,” says Nkusi to FORBES AFRICA. Beyond acting, Rwanda’s directors are also shaking up the international market despite budget constraints.



This growth and recognition has not gone unnoticed by the government of Rwanda which has identified films as an important medium to strengthen its identity globally and also to enhance film tourism in the country.



Clare Akamanzi, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), says: “We have set up the Rwanda Film Office; the idea is to reduce the cost for producers who come to shoot in our country.



This package includes tax incentives, and we have also built an audio visual studio at the ICT Innovation Centre to enable talent and quality in production, under the Rwanda Tourism Board.”



This move by the government is a strategic step towards creating the right atmosphere for filmmakers and other creative talent to spend more time in the nation, and assist directly or indirectly in raising the standard of the craft among local talent while building niche skillsets to aid the sector’s growth in the years to come.



Keeping an eye on the future of Rwandan cinema, in 2022, the Rwanda Film Office commissioned RWF184 million ($170,000) to support the development and production of 33 films/series.



Pioneers of the industry are ecstatic at the prospect of such initiatives as it paves the way for the strengthening the sector.



“The Rwanda Film Office under the RDB will support the ecosystem to grow. The film festivals such as the Mashariki African Film Festival, Rwanda Film Festival, Urusaro International Women Film Festival, the Rwanda International Movie Awards etc are putting the Rwandan film industry on the map,” says Misago. Umuhire is ecstatic: “Everywhere I go and tell people I am from Rwanda they tell me they have eyes on Rwanda. I feel there is no limitation in life as Africans. We can fly to the moon and dance with the stars, and still stay authentic to our true selves!”



Hollywood, here they come

Kwetu Film Institute in Rwanda

Celluloid Reality: The New Wave Of Rwandan Cinema

This writer stepped into the metaverse for a flying taxi ride at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. And roll, fold, flip – more nifty tech is coming up in the world of mobile phones.



One of the most popular stands at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona, Spain, this year was from South Korea’s SK Telecom, with its air taxi ride simulation using virtual reality (VR) headsets. Visitors queued up for hours to get on. As you step into the front seat of the four-seater air taxi mock-up, you wonder: will you be able to last the whole ride; what if you end up with a headache and dizziness from the VR experience?



The ride was three minutes long, but once I was strapped in with a seat belt and VR headset, another passenger’s headset had to be configured at least three times. I felt anxious sitting around indefinitely with a VR headset, not being able to see the real world. “We’re experiencing technical difficulties,” said SK Telecom.



Once the four of us in the taxi were equipped with working VR headsets, our flight from a futuristic Busan took off. It involved our seats physically moving in the direction we flew with a vertical drop towards the end, to landing on a rooftop.



Not unfamiliar to VR, I got off feeling a bit disoriented. Would I test other VR experiences again?



Absolutely.



There’s only one way to follow this journey and see how it improves or if it ever takes off.



Stepping into the metaverse for a flying taxi ride was just one of many innovations on display at MWC Barcelona, which returned to full force since the pandemic.



According to the GSMA (which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide), over 88,500 people attended from around the world with 56% coming from industries adjacent to the mobile ecosystem. 



Another innovation, 3D-holographic telepresence, which is still a work in progress, was showcased by Telefónica, one of Spain’s biggest telecom operators that combines 5G, fibre and edge computing technologies. 



Chatting to FORBES AFRICA, Telefónica said it generates 3D avatars to use in different environments. “We have 21 cameras equipped in the cabin to generate an avatar, with each one producing two to three gigabytes of information per second, so that’s 40GB-50GB every second.”



Once the 3D avatar is created, it can be teleported in realtime to augmented reality (AR) and VR environments using different scenarios, useful for live streaming or recordings, explained Telefónica 



The company’s combination of various technologies is a means of access for augmented, virtual, mixed or metaverse reality applications in the future.



Despite the metaverse being in the limelight, the nextgeneration of mobile phones were on full display: roll, fold, flip – there was something for everyone.



Oppo showcased its new Find N2, and Find N2 Flip, its first clamshell foldable that will make its way to South Africa this April. The pocketable N2 Flip will go head-to-head with the Samsung Z Flip 4 and Huawei P50 Pocket, expanding on the growing segment. Elvis Zhao, Chief Marketing Officer for Overseas Markets at Oppo, told FORBES AFRICA: “Oppo is confident in the future of foldable phones; we estimate that in 2023, growth rates will be 100%, and better than 2022.” 



Its first folding phone, Find N, released in December 2021 exclusively in China, reportedly sold out within five minutes. “Moving forward, Oppo will offer two form factors, a clamshell and a horizontal folding phone to overseas markets,” said Zhao.



The Find N2 Flip has a unique design choice of a 3.26-inch vertical cover display, making it larger than Samsung’s 1.9-inch offering. It currently supports Oppo-only apps with third party support expected.



The pocketable device features a waterdrop Flexion Hinge that underwent durability tests for 400,000 folds. When opened, the crease is hardly noticeable. It can be used hands-free propped between 45 to 110-degree angles.



The device opens to 6.8-inches and at 191g, is marginally bigger than the Z Flip 4. It is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 9000+ chip, 8GB of RAM, and a 4300mAh battery, which is the largest on any clamshell currently on the market. It has a 50MP Hasselblad camera and a 32MP selfie-cam that supports hand gestures to take photos and videos.



Oppo also showed prototypes of its Zero-Power Tag, a rival to the Apple AirTag; the Air Glass 2 assisted reality glasses suitable for the hearing impaired; and an OHealth H1 monitor to check your vitals at home. Available on the floor were more foldables like the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, Honor Magic Vs and Tecno Phantom V Fold, which are not slated for the African market.



And behind a glass box were proof-of-concept rolling screens from Lenovo on a laptop, and its Motorola branded Rizr smartphone. The laptop appears to look its ThinkPad but can transform from 12.7-inches to 15.3-inches at the push of a button. The company said it aims to get between 20,000 to 30,000 rolls from the laptop, which is nowhere near what smartphone folds have been tested against.



Similarly, the Motorola Rizr rolls open from 5-inches to 6.5-inches, and when using certain apps like YouTube in landscape mode, the handset rolls open automatically. Lenovo has not shared further hardware specs for its rollable screens, other than it being in a conceptual stage.



Admittedly, it’s too early to get excited about rolling screens, but on the other hand, foldables have shown promise with each iteration over the years. A space we’re following closely, and if rumors are anything to go by, perhaps we can expect a foldable from Apple in a couple of years.

The Metaverse In Your Pocket: Nifty Tech And Trends That Africa Will See

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The sister of a Saudi activist who was imprisoned in 2018 sued Twitter on Tuesday for allowing its employees to give private information identifying anonymous users to the Saudi government, which allegedly used the data to target and arrest dissidents—the latest allegation of Saudi government operatives using Twitter to spy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Areej Al-Sadhan, an American citizen, filed the case against Twitter and several Saudi officials in federal court in San Francisco on behalf of her brother, Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan, who was arrested in 2018 and is serving a 20 year sentence in Saudi Arabia for dissent against the current regime.



Al-Sadhan alleges Twitter gave identifying information about her brother to the Saudi government, which she said “blatantly violates” the social media company’s terms and conditions and “puts every Twitter user at risk.”



Her brother worked for the Red Crescent, a Red Cross-like aid group that operates in most Muslim countries, and allegedly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/religious-prisoners-conscience/forb-victims-database/abdulrahman-al-sadhan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ran anonymous Twitter accounts</a>&nbsp;mocking government officials and religious clerics before he was sentenced to prison in 2021, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.



In addition to sharing information about her brother, Al-Sadhan claims Twitter allowed Saudi officials to access information on “thousands” of anonymous users, most of whom posted “critical or embarrassing information” about the Saudi regime, over a seven-month period in 2014 to 2015.



Forbes&nbsp;reached out to the Saudi embassy in Washington, D.C., for comment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Tuesday’s lawsuit builds on the August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/08/09/ex-twitter-employee-convicted-of-sending-private-data-to-saudi-government/?sh=42db68ed0626">conviction</a>&nbsp;of former Twitter manager Ahmad Abouamm, who was allegedly recruited by the Saudi government to use his insider knowledge to share personal information of dissidents. Social networks like Twitter and Facebook played a major role during the Arab Spring, a youth uprising against governments in the Middle East and North Africa between 2010 and 2012. Its main purpose was facilitating communication among participants of the mass protests during that time. “Once the chosen platform for Arab youth revolutionizing to liberate their countries from despotic leadership during the Arab Spring, [Twitter]enabled its co-conspirators in the Saudi Criminal Enterprise to crush that very dissent,” Al-Sadhan’s lawsuit says.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surprising-fact">SURPRISING FACT</h2>



Billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is the&nbsp;<a href="https://fortune.com/2022/10/28/elon-musk-twitter-shareholder-alwaleed-bin-talal-binance-morgan-stanley/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">second-largest shareholder</a>&nbsp;in Twitter after principal owner Elon Musk, holding almost 6% of shares. He is the first cousin of Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, who has been the crown prince of Saudi Arabia since 2017.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



When he took over the company last year, Musk provided internal communications to various journalists in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/12/09/twitter-files-2-elon-musks-hyped-up-expos-unveils-secret-blacklists-and-shadow-banning--which-seem-very-similar-to-his-own-policies/?sh=49f5b4b56b38">series</a>&nbsp;called the Twitter Files, which was meant to bring to light some of the communications between Twitter executives and political campaigns or government officials. Although Musk has been critical of Twitter’s former CEO, Jack Dorsey, a report in April found Twitter has fully&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/2023/04/27/twitter-has-complied-with-almost-every-government-request-for-censorship-since-musk-took-over-report-finds/?sh=7890378724ea">complied</a>&nbsp;with more than 80% of government requests to remove or alter content since Musk acquired the company—an increase from 50% before his ownership. The majority of those requests came from foreign countries such as Turkey, India and Russia, but Saudi Arabia was not included.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/05/16/twitter-rico-saudi-arabia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jailed Saudi dissident, sister sue Twitter under RICO act in spy case</a>&nbsp;(Washington Post)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelsandler/2019/11/06/former-twitter-employees-charged-with-spying-for-saudi-arabia/?sh=3ba77bc01a3f">Former Twitter Employees Charged With Spying For Saudi Arabia</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/08/09/ex-twitter-employee-convicted-of-sending-private-data-to-saudi-government/?sh=42db68ed0626">Ex-Twitter Employee Convicted Of Sending Private Data To Saudi Government</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/katherinehamilton/"></a>By Katherine Hamilton, Forbes Staff

Twitter tests several new features for its mobile app

Twitter Sued For Allegedly Helping Saudi Government Arrest Dissident

Is Africa’s tech industry missing out on top female talent?



By Tiana Cline



While African women continue to defy the odds as they assume various political leadership roles, the continent’s tech industry faces a serious gender issue. Despite endless global conversations around diversity within the tech sector, women still face significant barriers and are noticeably underrepresented in many roles, making it difficult for them to enter – and eventually lead – the industry.



According to a global women in leadership study conducted by IBM, gender equity is not a women’s issue, it’s an organizational one. “Women are significantly underrepresented at nearly every level of the workforce,” says Lindsay Kaplan, co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of Chief, a private network of executive women on a mission to change the face of leadership. “If companies prioritize gender diversity across their entire organizations through policies, investments, and a culture that meaningfully supports women, we’ll see a transformative impact — equity for everyone in the workplace and stronger, more resilient businesses.”



The study found that in Kenya, for example, there is even more stagnation in senior professional and non-executive managerial positions. Even though there are some incredible African women in IT like Catherine Muraga, the Managing Director at the Microsoft Africa Development Centre in Nairobi and Kendi Ntwiga, who heads up misrepresentation at Meta, the percentage of women hasn’t budged since the 2019 drop — and at a senior manager, it has even declined somewhat. And while the pandemic continues to have a disproportionate impact on women at work, in Kenya, geopolitical unrest was ranked the number one disruption facing women.



While Kaplan is happy to see slight progress in the representation of women at the C-suite and board level, she maintains that it is imperative that companies do more to fill the pipeline that leads to powerful positions.



One global technology company that is making massive strides in creating a place for women in technology is Cisco and more so, their Vice President for Middle East and Africa, Reem Asaad. Born in Egypt, Asaad moved to the United States at the age of 16 to study computer science.



“I had to leave because there weren’t a lot of accessible universities at the time and I wanted to study computer science. I went to the University of Houston in Texas and that was the beginning,” she says. Now based in Dubai, Asaad’s focus is collaborating with government, customers and partners but creating and developing female leadership is her passion. “Cisco should mimic the communities that it serves. That’s already inclusive and a starting point. We have amazing resources in Africa and we need to invest in female talent,” says Asaad. “Africa is fascinating because we talk about diversity in the region as if it’s something you have to do but our region is diverse by nature.”



Within her role, Asaad is working hard to change the diversity ratio in the Middle East and Africa. She is responsible for 77 countries – some advanced, others emerging – and within those countries, there are over 2,000 languages and six time zones to take into account.



“Cisco operates in 95 countries and 52 of those are in the mid-East and Africa. It’s diversity whether you like it or not, from age groups to colour to ethnic backgrounds. What you learn when you work in this region is how to understand the difference between equity and equality,” she says.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-equality-or-equity">EQUALITY OR EQUITY?</h3>



One McKinsey study on women in the workplace found that gender disparity can emerge as early as the first promotion opportunity – women account for 48% of entry-level hires but only 38% of first-level managers.



This ties in Asaad’s view that even though mentoring and coaching can help grow women into leadership positions, being on the ground is what gives her true visibility. “It’s important because if you don’t know the women around you, those women who could be the next leaders, you will miss them,” she says. “With men, you tend to hire someone because they have ‘potential’. With women, historically, it’s different. You always have to prove yourself in that position. This is a narrative we have to change. We need to hire female leaders because you see the potential.”



For Asaad, this is the difference between equity and equality: equality means giving everybody the same opportunity and the same tools and assuming that you will get similar outputs. Equity is the exact opposite. “Equity is giving everybody what they need. It’s about understanding that people have different strengths and weaknesses. For women, there are certain barriers, certain challenges… what if you could help them to bypass these things?” she asks. “Then women in positions of power can be treated on an equal footing to their male counterparts—judged for their actions and output alone.



Post-pandemic, the hybrid world of work has helped to level the playing field for women to take on leadership roles. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the rate of women participating in the IT sector is now higher than Silicon Valley. “You will be amazed at the number of female engineers, the quality, dedication, commitment and retention that you get,” adds Asaad. “One of our first engineers that got CCIE certified is a female leader in Saudi. We have the talent, but we need somebody to recognize that these women are out there and give them the opportunity.”



Digital transformation is a big part of job creation. Despite geopolitical challenges, governments with an appetite for innovation breed talent and new roles like the chief sustainability officer, renewable energy analyst or green engineer require future-forward skills. “In Africa, we have the skillsets. We have the workforce. We have Cisco Networking Academies that can step in where needed and females have a very big part in this transformation,” she says. “My role is to solve for three things: getting women in the door by managing unconscious bias to open access. Once women are in, how can you involve and retain them? And once they have been there, how can we progress them to goals.

gettyimages-1084167640-170667a

Let’s Tech About It: Why This Industry In Africa Has Gender Issues

The party is over for struggling retailers that enjoyed a pandemic-era boost of cheap loans and stimulus-driven spending.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Retailers that have no business still being in business are starting to go out of business.



Unfortunately, it’s about time.



This year is on track to be the worst year for retail bankruptcies since 2020, with strip-mall mainstays like Bed Bath &amp; Beyond, Tuesday Morning, Party City and David’s Bridal all filing for Chapter 11 in the last several months.



“These are companies that have been in trouble for a while,” said Neil Saunders, managing director at research firm GlobalData. “It was almost a matter of when, rather than if, they went under.”



The spate of bankruptcies comes at a time when Americans have pulled back on discretionary spending and begun socking away more in savings as the cost of gas, groceries and other staples becomes more expensive, talk of a potential recession continues and major companies conduct layoffs. Consumer spending is watched closely since it accounts for more than two-thirds of the nation’s gross domestic product. Shoppers have shifted spending sharply in different directions over the pandemic, including pivoting away from categories like home goods after an early-pandemic buying spree.



However, while the economy isn’t helping and may be acting as a catalyst, the retailers who are teetering now have long had major problems. Retail spending remains “surprisingly robust” in some ways, said Saunders. More often a retailer’s downfall can be traced to shabby stores or an uninspiring online presence.



Plenty more retailers could go bankrupt before the year is over. The ones that look the most vulnerable to default include Rite Aid, Jo-Ann, Belk, At Home and 99 Cents Only, according to ratings companies Moody’s and S&amp;P Global. This watchlist skews toward specialty stores with exposure to the pressured home goods sector.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



The pandemic bought many retailers more time. Consumers spent freely, flush with cash from stimulus checks and unable to put it toward vacation or dinner and a movie. Retailers were also able to borrow money on the cheap.



“Covid masked some of the weak players,” said Steve Dennis, founder of SageBerry Consulting. “It staved off the reckoning.”



Now that the pandemic is over, at least officially, it’s back to reality and retailers are confronting the sins of the past: too many stores, too much debt and too few customers.



Retailers who loaded up on debt are having a harder time making payments as they watch sales and profits deteriorate. For instance, discount home goods retailer Tuesday Morning referenced its “exceedingly burdensome debt” in February when filing for bankruptcy for the second time in two years. Its net debt has increased tenfold, jumping from $23 million in 2019 to some $250 million last year. Sales during that time fell by 25%.



Christmas Tree Shops also cited its “burdensome liabilities” when filing for bankruptcy earlier this month. Its owner, Handil Holdings, listed liabilities of as much as $100 million in court documents.



Twelve percent of retailers now have a Triple-C rating from S&amp;P Global, meaning there’s a 50-50 chance that things get so bad they’ll default on their loans. That’s double the figure from last year and triple the year before.



“A lot of these companies were essentially zombie companies pre-Covid,” said Craig Ganz, an attorney at Ballard Spahr who has handled retail bankruptcies for several decades. “They were primarily surviving on debt, and now debt has become simply too expensive for them to afford.”



The Federal Reserve’s rapid rate hikes have made it much costlier for retailers to take on new debt, whether it’s to finance investments in growth areas or give themselves some breathing room, said Sarah Wyeth, who leads the retail and consumer sectors for S&amp;P Global Ratings.



“Any issuer that’s very stressed and needs to go to the market in the next year or so is going to be very challenged,” said Wyeth.



Meanwhile, the bills must be paid. Overhead is especially vexing for retailers stuck with large, lumbering brick-and-mortar fleets from an earlier era who aren’t drawing enough shoppers to cover the costs of paying workers, stocking shelves and keeping the lights on. The home furnishing sector is notorious for having too many stores, said Craig Johnson, founder of Customer Growth Partners, a retail research firm.



“The seeds of these companies’ demise was planted not just years ago, but decades ago,” he said.



By Lauren Debter, Forbes Staff

Netherlands Reimposes Partial Lockdown Amid Latest Covid-19 Wave

Plenty More Retailers Will Go Bankrupt This Year. The Only Surprise Is It Didn’t Happen Sooner.

Reitumetse Kholumo, the 25-year-old founder of Kwela Brews, is working to ensure that indigenous knowledge systems and makers of homegrown alcohol (umqombothi) earn their rightful place in South Africa’s formal economy.



In apartheid-era South Africa, it was popularly known that if women could not find domestic work, they would turn to brewing beer in their backyard – even though it was illegal– as a means of making ends meet. Eventually, alcohol was supplied at scale that largely supplanted these traditional brewers.



While women from all walks of life are no longer excluded from working in the formal alcohol market, monopolies such as pay disparities continue to reign.



This is something 25-year-old Reitumetse Kholumo hopes to change.



She was in her second year of chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, when on a field trip to one of the top brewers in the country, what stood out for her was the lack of representation.



She was studying bioprocessing and curious about indigenous African beverages, sought lessons in brewing from her grandmother.



Later on, she did a humanities elective about how engineering affects the broader public, specifically with a lens on how the profession was used to engineer apartheid. “I then looked at things a bit differently, being conscious of the fact that if I become a brewer, I’m just one brewer, but there are so many African women who are brewing on the ground, and the engineering solutions that exist do not address their problems,” she says to FORBES AFRICA.



Kholumo entered the informal industry from a bio-engineering perspective, believing the challenges to be efficiency and safety. 



While these are valid concerns, once she met the women making beer, she found other more pressing issues.



“When I met more women, their issues were more related to the market itself – they don’t have consistent buyers.”



Part of the reason was the prevalence of low-cost tier beers competing with traditionally-brewed beer.



“The women that brew authentic traditional African beer, they know how to brew safely. Efficiency is something that we are building on in a way that will complement their indigenous knowledge and how they usually brew.”



As the founder of Kwela Brews, Kholumo isn’t going to impose her ideas but rather collaborate with the women to assess the process, and see what they can adopt in their daily practices.



Kwela Brews became a distributor to solve the main problem: finding regular buyers in their relevant low-income communities.



“So, what we do is we pay the women for the brews, and we also supply them with the ingredients that they like. They’re my bosses, if anything,” she laughs.



In 2022, Kwela Brews began testing the market with products – going to Jazz in the Native Yards, a concert hosting South African musicians, primarily held in the Gugulethu township of Cape Town.



They have also now partnered with a local restaurant in Stellenbosch that sees traffic from international students and tourists, so they are widening their reach. 



“In the near future, we’re going to be doing tastings and collaborating on events just to de-risk it for them, but also so that we can learn what the market requires.”



Still completing her master’s degree in chemical engineering at Stellenbosch in the Western Cape, Kholumo’s broader interests are the beneficiation of indigenous bio-products when it comes to nutraceuticals and therapeutics. “What I want more than anything is to create a space where indigenous brews are appreciated, as they come from the indigenous knowledge-holders.” 



She says each batch of her brew tastes different because it will have different micro-organisms, which are good for people’s gut microbiomes. 



“Different women from different tribes will have different ways of brewing, and this is all over sub-Saharan Africa. So I feel like there’s a lot of potential there.”



While she received R20,000 ($1,100) in funding from the University of Cape Town’s student pitch competition, hosted by Akro, along with UCT InvestSoc and UCT Entrepreneurs Society in 2021, she quickly used the startup money. In 2022, she was on the Mastercard Foundation program that gave her another R120,000 ($6,500). And even though it’s an alcoholic product, she wants to eventually get certification about benefits for gut microbiome. She’s raising the bar for homegrown alcohol to be distributed and sold at scale. After all, as they say in South Africa, local is lekker (good).

Kholumo hopes to change the landscape for indigenous brew-masters1

Stirring It Up: The 25-Year-Old Entrepreneur Who Wants to Put South African Traditional Beer Makers On The Map

After the MtGox hack, Tokyo put in place tough rules that later protected FTX customers. Now, from that secure base, it’s moving to allow blockchain technologies to flourish.



More than a million investors around the world were left stranded when FTX suddenly collapsed in November with an astonishing hole, estimated at $8.7 billion, in its balance sheet. The cryptocurrency exchange and its 130-plus affiliates have been operating in bankruptcy for five months, and a new management team claims to have recovered $7.3 billion of the missing cash and tokens. Yet only one component of the company has returned money to clients.



FTX’s Japanese unit allowed all verified accounts to resume withdrawals on February 21. As of April 25, nearly 10,000 individual and corporate clients had withdrawn crypto and cash worth approximately 23.4 billion yen ($175.4 million),&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.liquid.com/ja/%E5%87%BA%E9%87%91-%E5%87%BA%E5%BA%AB%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%93%E3%82%B9%E3%81%AE%E9%80%B2%E6%8D%97%E7%8A%B6%E6%B3%81%E3%81%AB%E3%81%A4%E3%81%84%E3%81%A6-1682390331847?_ga=2.70873552.1915823815.1682596738-1460639900.1681400607&amp;_gl=1*1be4ztb*_ga*MTQ2MDYzOTkwMC4xNjgxNDAwNjA3*_ga_KM66WLZ8WM*MTY4MjU5NjczOC4yLjEuMTY4MjU5Njc4Mi4xNi4wLjA." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the company.



Count this as a victory for Japan’s financial regulators and the strict rules they’ve put in place to protect consumers in the wild and wooly world of crypto.



Japan cracked down with safety and soundness rules from a unified regulator after two big exchange hacks. But now, from that stable (and some in the industry would say overly restrictive) base, it’s seeking to come up with a strategy to become a leader in the collection of mostly decentralized, blockchain-based technologies known as web 3. The U.S., by contrast, has arguably been open to more innovation, but its dueling oversight agencies and lack of rules have created gaps in oversight and a culture of regulation by enforcement that makes strategic planning perilous.



Japan, an early adopter of digital assets, learned the value of regulation early and the hard way, through what remains arguably the most notorious crypto hack ever–the 2014 plunder of 800,000 bitcoins from MtGox, which had been the world’s largest bitcoin exchange. Four years later, Coincheck, another cryptocurrency exchange based in Tokyo, was robbed of $500 million worth of NEM blockchain’s xem coins.



“The drama and shakeup that the U.S. is experiencing around Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX, the Bahamas situation is not relevant in Japan,” says Sheila Warren, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, a Washington, D.C.-based group that advocates for the industry worldwide. That’s because Japan has already been there and done that.



After the MtGox and Coincheck shocks, Japan’s primary financial regulator, the Financial Services Agency (FSA), tightened rules on crypto exchanges, notes Ananya Kumar, associate director of digital currencies at the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center, the think tank’s unit addressing foreign policy, finance, and economics.



The FSA’s rules include:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Customer and company assets must be held separately, with holdings verified in annual audits.</li>



<li>Investors can&#8217;t borrow more than twice their investments for leveraged trades on exchanges. (Many cryptocurrency exchanges, including Binance, allow trading at 100x leverage.)</li>



<li>Exchanges must hold at least 95% of customer funds in cold wallets, which are not connected to the internet.</li>
</ul>



The measures proved instrumental in enabling clients of the Japanese subsidiary of FTX to withdraw their assets after its parent filed for bankruptcy in November. It remains unclear when other FTX clients will be able to get their money back, and how much of it they’ll get.



Japan has thus become a customer-friendly crypto haven but at the expense of stringent supervision of the freewheeling digital assets industry.



Now, Japan is building on that secure base, with a national economic strategy and a bid to lead its allies in creating rules that will effectively govern the industry.



“The FSA contributes to international policy discussion, including the one at the Financial Stability Board—an international organization that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system—on crypto-assets by leveraging its experience as a global forerunner in the regulation and monitoring of crypto-asset activities and markets,” the agency told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;in written comments.



On April 6, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s web3 project team, tasked with drafting crypto-focused policy proposals, released a&nbsp;<a href="https://note.com/akihisa_shiozaki/n/n669dee962b15" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white paper</a>&nbsp;outlining several recommendations, including a call for Tokyo to take the lead.



“After crypto winter, Japan may be the first to welcome spring,” the 35-page document predicts. “As a country that has overcome many hardships in the cryptocurrency industry, we are in a position to persuade the world about the immeasurable potential of web3.”



Suggestions in the paper cover tax reform, improved accounting standards, and regulation of blockchain-based finance. There’s even a recommendation for the government to drive the conversation about digital assets at the next Group of Seven (G7) summit, scheduled to be held in Hiroshima later this month.



“While Western financial regulators appear to be single-mindedly focused on tightening regulations in the midst of what is being called a crypto winter, I assess that Japanese financial regulators correctly understand the potential of blockchain and other technologies and are working to design regulations in a forward-looking manner,” Masaaki Taira, the team’s leader and a member of the House of Representatives, said in written comments to&nbsp;Forbes.



In February, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okslrifMl4M" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the Budget Committee of Japan’s House of Representatives</a>&nbsp;that there are “various possibilities for using web3” in Japan. He said that the Japanese government could employ blockchain-based mechanisms like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/article/what-are-nfts/?sh=609abead296f">non-fungible tokens</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffkauflin/2022/02/03/daos-arent-a-fad-theyre-a-platform/?sh=210b8c1719d0">decentralized autonomous organizations</a>&nbsp;to revitalize regions and promote “Cool Japan” — a national strategy aimed at promoting the country’s innovations and culture to the rest of the world that dates back to the early 2000s and echoes the U.K.’s “Cool Britannia” policies of the 1990s.



According to Taira, his team–including about 10 members of the Diet (Japan’s national legislature), six lawyers from the private sector with expertise in web3 and 10 leading Japanese digital influencers acting as advisors–works directly with Kishida and several government bodies. “The policy proposals compiled by the project team are adopted almost directly by the LDP, and a significant portion is adopted into government policy. It is an extremely powerful team,” he says.



“The way they talk about crypto is very crypto-native in terms of what the technology enables and what aspects of current regulation are just not workable,” says the Crypto Council’s Warren. “They are saying analogue regulation doesn&#8217;t work in digital environments.”



Japan does not have a long history of being hospitable to blockchain entrepreneurs. In addition to its heavy-handed regulation, Japan&#8217;s tax code is particularly hostile to the industry. It&#8217;s also hard to get new cryptocurrencies approved. After founding their gaming company Murasaki on home shores last year, Shinnosuke Murata and Shunsuke Sasaki recently decided to move their business to the Netherlands. “Why would two Japanese entrepreneurs with considerable experience starting companies in their own country go halfway around the world to set up a new business? wrote Murata in a&nbsp;<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/Why-I-had-to-leave-Japan-to-launch-my-gaming-company" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nikkei op-ed</a>&nbsp;in October. “Simply because it just was not feasible to do so in Japan.”



With a corporate tax rate set around 30% on unrealized gains from cryptocurrency holdings, it is a real struggle to get a new blockchain-based business off the ground, Murata tells&nbsp;Forbes. “Suppose you issue 100 tokens each worth $1 million. Even if you don’t realize gains, you will need to pay $30 million next year. Practically no startup founders can issue a token,” Murata explains.



Major U.S. crypto exchanges like Kraken and Coinbase have recently shut their subsidiaries in Japan,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coinbase.com/blog/halting-operations-in-japan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">citing</a>&nbsp;“market conditions”. Overall, there are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsa.go.jp/en/regulated/licensed/en_kasoutuka.xlsx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">37</a>&nbsp;crypto exchanges registered in the country, according to the FSA.



Additionally, the agency can take months to review proposals to list new tokens, which results in Japan&#8217;s trading market growing much slower at lower levels of liquidity than those of other countries, says Murata.



“Japan loses entrepreneurs that could build $100 million businesses because of those barriers,” he laments.



The existing framework makes it difficult for local entrepreneurs, agrees Roi Hirata, head of a new Japanese subsidiary of the Avalanche blockchain’s main developer company, New York-based Ava Labs. Avalanche’s brand recognition in Japan is exploding, Hirata says, which has prompted Ava Labs to start building a presence in the island nation. As a first step, his team has partnered with Japanese media giant GREE on a new blockchain game.



“I see a huge opportunity for both intellectual property providers and traditional businesses in Japan to adopt a blockchain like Avalanche, providing both decentralization and compliant service,” Hirata noted in an email to&nbsp;Forbes.



For now, its deep-pocketed tech giants that are leading the blockchain push in Japan.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninabambysheva/2023/02/07/forbes-blockchain-50-2023/?sh=577ea334319d">This year’s&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;Blockchain 50</a>, an annual list highlighting the best enterprise applications of the distributed-database technology, features three Japanese companies, Fujitsu, LINE and NTT.



Social media giant LINE helps create NFTs for 26 big customers including SoftBank, South Korea’s Naver search engine and Visa. According to the company, more than two million wallets have registered on its DOSI NFT platform since September. NTT Docomo, the country’s dominant mobile-phone service provider,&nbsp;has&nbsp;<a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/NTT-Docomo-to-invest-4bn-in-Web3-using-mobile-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pledged&nbsp;</a>to invest up to $4 billion in web3 infrastructure.



Electronics powerhouse Fujitsu teamed up with financial-services giants including Mitsubishi UFJ Mizuho and Sumitomo Mitsui to build the “Ryugukoku,” or the “Japanese Metaverse Economic Zone.” The initiative,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/2023/0227-02.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;in February, seeks to build a shared metaverse infrastructure for large enterprises.



Meanwhile, the FSA is planning to lift its ban on the domestic distribution of stablecoins later this year. The exact date and the coins that will be allowed have not been determined, but decisions are scheduled for June.



“This does not mean that all foreign issued stablecoins will be allowed without any restriction,” the agency told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;via written comments. “We will allow stablecoins to be handled after individual examination, if there are no problems from the viewpoint of user protection, etc. Examples include: foreign issuers in their countries being subject to the equivalent regulations as in Japan, and underlying assets being preserved appropriately.”



Late last year, the ruling party’s tax committee approved a proposal to exempt crypto startups that issue their own tokens from paying corporate taxes on unrealized gains. New proposals introduced in the white paper include tax exclusions for companies holding tokens issued by other companies that aren&#8217;t going to be traded short term and to limit taxable events only to instances when the assets are exchanged for traditional currencies.



“I think it is not only really exciting, but it&#8217;s actually paving the way to demonstrate to the rest of the world here is how you create forward-thinking flexible regulation that can navigate this tricky balance of preserving a wide space for innovation while also protecting consumers,” says Warren.



The overarching <a href="https://note.com/akihisa_shiozaki/n/n669dee962b15" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">message</a> is “Japan is back, Again.”\<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninabambysheva/"></a>



By Nina Bambysheva, Forbes staff

financial technology flowchart and basic income mining cryptocurrency with blockchain startup unicorn crypto money virtual diagram.businessman hand working with new modern computer.

What Japan Could Teach The U.S.—And The World—About Regulating Crypto

Untitled design (2)

30 Under 30 Tomorrow’s Titans: Heart And Hustle

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The already stuffed wallets of several billionaire insiders at Alphabet grew even fatter Thursday as shares of Google’s parent company rallied, after the company’s Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardnieva/2023/05/10/google-io-2023-ai/?sh=448f91e95704">announcement</a>&nbsp;of various new artificial intelligence features—capped by integrating AI into Google’s search engine——largely cooled investors’ fears about a wide gap in the AI space between Google and rival Microsoft.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Alphabet’s stock surged more than 4% Thursday, bringing its two-day gain to 9% following CEO Sundar Pichai’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/05/10/google-adding-ai-to-search-engine-for-some-users-closing-in-on-microsofts-ai-push/?sh=73fba5123502">presentation</a>&nbsp;introducing a variety of ways the company plans to utilize AI in its search engine and beyond.



Shares of the Silicon Valley stalwart are now at their highest level since August.



Google demonstrated “AI powered search can still be the gateway” to online activity and drive advertising revenue growth, according to Bank of America analysts Justin Post and Joanna Zhao, deeming Wednesday’s presentation “a positive step in changing the AI narrative” that Microsoft and its ChatGPT-powered Bing search engine are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/04/17/google-stock-loses-57-billion-amid-microsofts-ai-lead-and-reports-it-could-be-replaced-by-bing-on-some-smartphones/?sh=7943e0145b07">better-positioned</a>&nbsp;to cash in on the AI craze.



Alphabet’s market capitalization swelled by nearly $120 billion over the last two trading sessions, solidifying its place as the fourth-most valuable public company in the world.



Largely reaping the benefits of the stock surge are Google’s billionaire current and former executives who added a total of more than $9 billion, including cofounders and board members Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who added $4.1 billion and $3.9 billion to their fortunes Thursday, respectively.



Fellow Alphabet board members Ravitark Ram Shriram and John Doerr added about $330 million to their combined fortunes Thursday, while early Google investor David Cheriton and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt grew more than $900 million richer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forbes-valuations">FORBES VALUATIONS</h2>



Page (worth $99.6 billion) and Brin ($95.3 billion) are the seventh- and 10th-richest people in the world, according to&nbsp;Forbes’ real-time billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/#5ce0a38e3d78">tracker</a>. Page’s fortune surpassed that of Microsoft mogul Steve Ballmer and Mexican media magnate Carlos Slim Helu on Thursday, while Brin’s wealth pile surged past those of L’Oreal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers and financial data king Michael Bloomberg.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



Alphabet has the “leading collection of AI/machine learning-driven businesses” of any technology company, Goldman Sachs analysts led by Eric Sheridan wrote in a Wednesday note to clients, adding the latest rollout caused the bank to become “increasingly constructive” on Alphabet’s long-term business strategy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chief-critic">CHIEF CRITIC</h2>



The freshly announced generative AI improvements are a “positive [step] in the AI battle” against Microsoft, but Alphabet continues to operate in “major catchup mode,” according to Wedbush analyst Dan Ives. Microsoft’s early investment in ChatGPT parent OpenAI gave it a “key head start” in the field that could prove challenging for Alphabet to overcome in the struggle for market share, Ives added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched in November to significant fanfare and was integrated into Bing in February, shortly after Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/01/23/chatgpt-parent-open-ai-gets-game-changing-multibillion-dollar-boost-from-microsoft/">announced</a>&nbsp;it made a multibillion-dollar equity investment in OpenAI. Many&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardnieva/2023/03/10/google-peacetime-ceo-sundar-pichai/?sh=359f71584ab1">considered</a>&nbsp;Google’s early response to the AI-fueled stiffer search competition to be subpar, with Alphabet shares&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/04/17/google-stock-loses-57-billion-amid-microsofts-ai-lead-and-reports-it-could-be-replaced-by-bing-on-some-smartphones/?sh=7943e0145b07">sliding</a>&nbsp;as much as 10% in the months following ChatGPT’s rollout.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardnieva/2023/05/10/google-io-2023-ai/?sh=448f91e95704">Google Tries To Straddle Being &#8216;Bold&#8217; And &#8216;Responsible&#8217; In AI Product Blitz</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/05/10/google-adding-ai-to-search-engine-for-some-users-closing-in-on-microsofts-ai-push/?sh=73fba5123502">Google Adding AI To Search Engine For Some Users—Closing In On Microsoft&#8217;s AI Push</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardnieva/2023/03/10/google-peacetime-ceo-sundar-pichai/?sh=359f71584ab1">Google’s ‘Peacetime’ CEO Sundar Pichai Faces Criticism As The AI War Heats Up</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/04/17/google-stock-loses-57-billion-amid-microsofts-ai-lead-and-reports-it-could-be-replaced-by-bing-on-some-smartphones/?sh=7943e0145b07">Google Stock Loses $57 Billion Amid Microsoft’s AI ‘Lead’—And Reports It Could Be Replaced By Bing On Some Smartphones</a> (Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/"></a>By Derek Saul, Forbes Staff

FRANCE-ECONOMY-TECHNOLOGY-VIVATECH

Google Insiders Are $9 Billion Richer After AI-Fueled Stock Rally

The United States (US) has accused the South African government of supplying ammunition to the Russian Federation through a ship that docked at a naval base in Simon&#8217;s Town in South Africa’s Western Cape province late last year. This shock allegation highlights the increasingly strained relations between the US and South Africa and places billions of Rand worth of preferential trade between the countries at risk.



&#8220;We are confident that weapons were loaded onto that vessel,&#8221; said US Ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, during a press briefing in the country yesterday, May 11, adding, &#8220;I would bet my life on the accuracy of that assertion.&#8221;



The accusations are in stark contrast to the South African government’s denial of supplying any arms to Russia since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, asserted in January 2023.



South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in response to Brigety’s allegations, announced that a retired judge would be appointed to probe the vessel&#8217;s visit, and his spokesperson slammed the comments by the United States Ambassador as against the cooperative spirit of the relationship between the two countries.



&#8220;In recent engagements between the South African delegation and US officials, the Lady R matter was discussed…&#8221; said Ramaphosa&#8217;s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, &#8220;It is therefore disappointing that the US ambassador has adopted a counter-productive public posture that undermines the understanding reached on the matter and the very positive and constructive engagements between the two delegations.&#8221;



Relations between the US and South Africa have already reportedly been tense, with Ambassador Brigety writing to Defence Minister Thandi Modise to criticize the docking of the vessel last December, questioning South Africa&#8217;s alleged non-aligned status. The Lady R, a Russian registered vessel, sailed into Simon&#8217;s Town naval base and loaded cargo with its transponder beacon switched off.



South Africa&#8217;s participation in naval military exercises with Russia and China this year, as well as the public confusion surrounding the country&#8217;s attempt to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in an apparent attempt to avoid having to enforce an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin should he visit, have further burdened relations.



This led to US Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs panel, John James, introducing legislation condemning the maritime exercises and requesting President Joe Biden to review bilateral relations between the US and South Africa.



The US Ambassador&#8217;s allegations caused the Rand to plummet when markets opened today, with the Rand currently at R19.47 to the USD, a record low. South African markets were already volatile given the country&#8217;s continued electricity woes and recent greylisting, with the weakening trend likely to continue.



Opposition parties as well as representatives of Ukrainian interests in South Africa have also critiqued South Africa&#8217;s position, with leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA), John Steenhuisen, saying in a press statement: &#8220;Confirmation by US intelligence in South Africa that the Lady R vessel departed Simon&#8217;s Town after having been loaded with war materials now brings into question the transparency of the ANC national government with the South African people and our international partners.&#8221;



The apparent continuing deterioration of relations between South Africa and the US puts a highly lucrative trading relationship at risk for South Africa, with deals relating to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) valued at more than R50 billion ($2.58 billion) annually. This relationship and the economic benefits to South Africans seem to be precariously placed.



&#8220;South Africa has already made a dangerous compromise of the status of non-alignment,&#8221; said the Ukrainian Association of South Africa in a statement to FORBES AFRICA. &#8220;[We] call on all South Africans, human rights and civil society organizations to stand against the potential move of the South African government towards Russian autocracy.&#8221;



While the appointment of a judge to probe the Lady R’s visit appears to be a step toward mending relations between the two nations, economic fallout has been immediate, with the bulk of the burden to be met by ordinary South Africans.

Chinese, Russian and South African Vessels ahead of Naval Exercise

US Allegations That South Africa Supplied Arms To Russia Puts AGOA At Risk, Rand In Freefall

Recently, there has been a surge of interest in cold plunges. Here are the benefits and latest research on their effectiveness.



By Peter Engelbrecht



You begin the descent.



As your feet and legs go into a rapid shiver, all you can think about is the wave of freezing cold climbing up your stomach.



Finally you are up to your neck in ice. We are of course talking about cold plunges or Ice Baths.



Ice baths have been used for decades by athletes, particularly those involved in endurance sports, as a way to promote recovery and reduce muscle soreness after intense exercise. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in ice baths, not just among elite athletes, but among fitness enthusiasts and the general population as well. Let’s explore the benefits of ice baths and look at the latest research on their effectiveness.



What are Ice baths?



Ice baths, also known as cold water immersion, involve submerging the body in cold water for a set amount of time. The water temperature is typically around 50°F (10°C) or lower, and the duration of the bath can range from a few minutes to 20 minutes or more. Some people also add ice to the water to make it even colder.



Reduces Inflammation



One of the main benefits of ice baths is their ability to reduce inflammation. During intense exercise, the body produces a lot of waste products, including lactic acid, which can build up in the muscles and cause soreness. Cold water immersion helps to constrict blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the affected area, which can help to reduce inflammation and promote healing.



Speeds Up Recovery



Ice baths can also help to speed up recovery after exercise. When you immerse your body in cold water, your blood vessels constrict, which helps to flush out metabolic waste products and reduce inflammation. This, in turn, helps to promote healing and reduce muscle soreness, allowing you to recover more quickly from your workouts.



Enhances Immune Function



Research has also shown that cold water immersion can enhance the immune function. Exposure to cold water can stimulate the production of white blood cells, which are responsible for fighting off infections and diseases. This means that regular ice baths could help to boost your immune system and make you less susceptible to illness.



Improves Mood



In addition to its physical benefits, cold water immersion can also have a positive effect on your mood. When you immerse your body in cold water, your body releases endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers. This can help to reduce stress and improve your overall sense of wellbeing.



Latest Research



While the benefits of ice baths have been known for some time, there is still ongoing research into their effectiveness. Some of the latest research has been done by Andrew D. Huberman, an American neuroscientist and tenured associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, who has made contributions to the fields of brain development, brain plasticity, neural regeneration and repair.



During an interview with the podcaster Joe Rogan, Huberman recalls a study done by the European Journal of Physiology which was the first study of its kind that probed the effects of cold plunges and the neurochemical impacts on the brain. Huberman states: “When you go into the cold for one to two minutes and it is shockingly cold where you have to catch your breath and stabilize your mind, that invokes a dopamine, epinephrine and nor-epinephrine release.”



These three neurotransmitters collectively are referred to as catecholamines. There is a huge spike and dopamine levels that are present in the brain after cold exposure remain for up to four hours later.



Ice Baths vs. Active Recovery



A recent study compared the effects of ice baths to those of active recovery (light exercise) on muscle soreness and recovery in elite athletes. The study found that while both ice baths and active recovery were effective at reducing muscle soreness, active recovery was more effective at promoting recovery and reducing inflammation.



Frequency of Ice Baths



Another study looked at the frequency of ice baths and its effect on recovery in athletes. The study found that while daily ice baths did help to reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery, there was no significant difference between daily ice baths and ice baths taken every other day.



Timing of Ice Baths



Timing may also be an important factor when it comes to the effectiveness of ice baths. A study published in the Journal of Physiology found that taking an ice bath immediately after exercise was less effective at reducing inflammation and promoting recovery than waiting a few hours to take an ice bath.



Duration of Ice Baths



Finally, the duration of the ice bath may also play a role in its effectiveness. A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine &amp; Science in Sports found that longer and warmer ice baths (20 minutes) were more effective at reducing muscle soreness and promoting recovery than shorter and colder ice baths (two minutes).

Woman enjoying cold baths in a ice hole, Lapland

Cool Fad: Why Ice Baths Are Getting Popular

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Google&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.google/products/search/generative-ai-search/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that it’s giving its signature product, the search engine, an AI makeover—potentially transforming the way users view search results after Microsoft announced a similar plan.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Google results with AI will be available to select people in the U.S. who apply for a waitlist to be part of Search Lab, where they’ll be able to test out how the product is working and give Google feedback, the company announced Wednesday at its annual developer conference, Google I/O.



Search with AI will be labeled as an experiment for users—though it won’t be available for at least a few weeks—and Google said the AI-generated information will be more factual than conversational, unlike other AI tools like ChatGPT, AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-artificial-intelligence-search-engine-chatgpt-microsoft-fd0538018df958388991772ced6e693d?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_06" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>; however, Google also announced Wednesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://bard.google.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bard</a>, its chatbot-like experiment, is now widely available for people to try.



PROMOTED



Combining AI with Google Search will let users type a question into the search bar and receive one main result that synthesizes the information gathered—but there will still be normal search links provided below the generated answer.



The company did not provide a timeline for when AI-based results will roll out to the general public.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contra">CONTRA</h2>



The service will not be able to respond to certain questions about health and finance matters. People searching for those will continue to be directed to normal search results for their answers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The AI-based updates and changes to Google products come as Microsoft, one of its main competitors, is also working to incorporate AI into its search engine, Bing, and as ChatGPT continues to grow in popularity. Google has maintained its status as the go-to search engine for most of the world for at least two decades, but the stock of Google’s parent company, Alphabet,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/17/tech/google-ai-search-engine-stock-drop/index.html#:~:text=Shares%20of%20Google%2Dparent%20Alphabet,powered%20rivals%2C%20including%20Microsoft's%20Bing." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dropped</a>&nbsp;significantly when Bing incorporated AI. The share price has since recovered—even as rumors swirl of Samsung dropping Google, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/16/technology/google-search-engine-ai.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York Times</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/17/tech/google-ai-search-engine-stock-drop/index.html#:~:text=Shares%20of%20Google%2Dparent%20Alphabet,powered%20rivals%2C%20including%20Microsoft's%20Bing." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNN</a>. Microsoft also has an early advantage in the AI chatbot race, investing billions of dollars into ChatGPT creator OpenAI and unveiling plans to integrate ChatGPT technology into its suite of products.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“We are at an exciting inflection point,” said Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai. at the conference. “We are reimagining all our products, including search.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



AI search tools weren’t the only update from Google on Wednesday, as the company announced plans to infuse more AI technology into its products. Soon, Gmail will have a “Help Me Write” option that people can use to write long responses to emails in seconds, and the company announced “Magic Editor,” a tool for Google Photos that will automatically edit pictures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



5%. That’s how much Alphabet’s shares increased after the series of Google and AI announcements, rising to $112.65. The increase brough Alphabet to its highest level since Bing remodeled its search engine using AI in February, AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-artificial-intelligence-search-engine-chatgpt-microsoft-fd0538018df958388991772ced6e693d?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_06" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-artificial-intelligence-search-engine-chatgpt-microsoft-fd0538018df958388991772ced6e693d?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_06" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google is giving its dominant search engine an artificial-intelligence makeover</a>&nbsp;(AP)



<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/05/10/google-search-ai-io-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI is changing Google search: What the IO announcement means for you</a>&nbsp;(Washington Post)



<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/10/tech/ai-search-google-io/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The most popular search engine in the world is about to look different</a> (CNN)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/"></a>By Molly Bohannon, Forbes Staff

Tag: COVID-19

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA