No Crypto ETF from BlackRock Anytime Soon, CEO Says
The largest asset manager in the world, BlackRock, won’t be launching a bitcoin ETF until cryptocurrencies are seen as legitimate, according to BlackRock CEO Larry Fink. Fink does say, however, that he could see the day where there is electronic trading for crypto that could be a store of wealth. The SEC also has doubts about a bitcoin ETF, and has yet to approve any application for such an instrument.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Will Set Deadline on Big Tech Taxes
The UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, has set a deadline of November 5 to force large tech companies to pay higher taxes in the UK, which could have major implications for the likes of Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Google. The Chancellor isn’t expected to force a tax on firms immediately, but will outline an implementation timetable for action. Hammond’s proposal is likely to face major opposition from tech firms.
Jamie Bartlett Discusses Big Data’s Role in Politics
Jamie Bartlett is the director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media. In her new book, The People Vs. Tech: How the Internet Is Killing Democracy (and How We Save It), she examines the relationship between technology, politics and society, and how social media and the internet culture affects democratic processes. In a conversation with Dianne Timblin, Bartlett recounts the role of big data’s in political campaigns in the UK, EU, and US.
$432,500 for AI-Created Artwork
Marketed by the auction house Christie’s as the first algorithmically-generated portrait to be put up for auction, “Edmond de Belamy, from La Famille de Belamy” sold for $432,500. The twisted portrait, by the French art collective Obvious, calls into question how one defines art, especially when the artist is an algorithm and not a human.
Amazon Says No to Sexist AI Recruiter
A sexist recruiting tool powered by AI and used by Amazon to recruit job candidates was terminated after the tech giant discovered the system was effectively preferring male candidates over female candidates. The team behind the tool had used the software since 2014 to mechanize the search for top job talent.