Airtel Nigeria’s SmartCash Payment Service Bank Achieves Milestone
Airtel Nigeria’s SmartCash Payment Service Bank (PSB) has reached a significant milestone, recording 1.5 million active users as of March 31, 2024. This achievement marks a substantial growth in the company’s mobile money business, demonstrating its commitment to expanding financial inclusion in Nigeria.
Annualized Transaction Valued at 15% growth in Q1 2024 compared to the previous quarter and added almost 39,000 agents in Q1 2024, reaching a total of 205,000 agents
Airtel Nigeria’s active mobile subscriptions stood at 63.4 million as of March 2024, indicating vast potential for mobile money services.
This expansion highlights Airtel Nigeria’s dedication to providing innovative financial solutions and promoting digital payments in the country. The growth of SmartCash PSB is expected to continue, fostering financial inclusion and bridging the gap for underserved communities.
NCC Partners with Nokia to Empower Young Nigerians with 4G/5G Technologies
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nokia Solutions and Networks Nigeria to equip young Nigerians with the latest 4G and 5G radio and transmission technologies. This collaboration aims to promote digital literacy and develop a skilled workforce in the telecommunications sector.
The training program will be held across the country at the Commission’s Digital Parks, ensuring widespread reach and accessibility. Nokia Nigeria will establish a fully functional 5G/4G test lab, utilizing cutting-edge radio and transmission technologies andwill implement an Entrepreneur Learning Program, providing high-quality vocational training to 200 Nigerian students from diverse regions.
This initiative aligns with the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy’s objective to achieve 90% digital literacy by 2030, promoting inclusive economic growth and development by building a pipeline of technical talents, this partnership will empower young Nigerians to drive innovation and contribute to the country’s digital transformation.
This partnership demonstrates the NCC’s commitment to fostering a digitally skilled workforce, enhancing Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, and promoting economic growth through strategic collaborations.
United States to Deploy Cybercrime Advisor in Nigeria
The United States has announced plans to deploy a cybercrime advisor in Nigeria to strengthen cooperation between the two nations in combating cyber threats. This move aims to enhance Nigeria’s capacity to address cybercrimes, including fraud scams and sextortion, and reinforce efforts against cyber-enabled money laundering and fraud.
The cybercrime advisor will provide training, equipment, and technical assistance to Nigerian law enforcement agencies to enhance their capabilities in investigating and prosecuting cybercrimes and this deployment is part of a broader effort to foster international cooperation in combating cyber threats, including fraud scams and sextortion, which often have transnational dimensions. The joint effort will focus on disrupting cyber-enabled money laundering and fraud schemes, which pose significant threats to financial stability and security.
The deployment is funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), which supports global efforts to combat cybercrime and promote cybersecurity. The cybercrime advisor will facilitate closer collaboration between US and Nigerian law enforcement agencies, enabling them to share expertise, best practices, and intelligence to combat cyber threats more effectively.
Apple to Integrate OpenAI’s Technology into iPhones, Marking a Significant AI Milestone
Apple Inc. is reportedly finalizing a groundbreaking agreement with OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) startup, to incorporate the latter’s technology into the iPhone. This move marks a significant step forward in Apple’s AI strategy, aiming to revolutionize the user experience with cutting-edge AI features.
The deal is expected to integrate ChatGPT features into iOS 18, the upcoming iPhone operating system, enabling users to interact with their devices in a more conversational and intuitive way.
Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, has emphasized the company’s commitment to AI, highlighting its potential to transform the user experience and create new opportunities for innovation and also plans to leverage its proprietary data centers, equipped with custom processors, to support the upcoming AI features, ensuring a seamless and secure experience.
Apple’s unique advantage lies in its ability to integrate AI across its ecosystem, creating a cohesive and user-friendly experience across devices and services and with Google and other tech giants also investing in AI, Apple’s partnership with OpenAI signals its determination to remain at the forefront of AI innovation and user experience.
The deal is expected to be announced at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, where the company will unveil its latest AI initiatives and advancements.
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Neuralink’s First Brain Implant Malfunctions, Company Scrambles to Fix Issues
Neuralink, Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company, has revealed that its first brain implant device malfunctioned weeks after being surgically implanted in a human patient. The device, designed to read and write neural signals, experienced a technical issue that reduced its signal-capturing capabilities.
The implant’s connective threads, responsible for reading brain signals, retracted from the brain, causing a decline in signal detection. The issue arose weeks after the surgery, prompting Neuralink to investigate and develop a solution.
The patient Noland Arbaugh, 29, was the first human patient to receive the Neuralink implant. Arbaugh suffered a spinal cord injury in a diving accident in 2016, resulting in quadriplegia.
The Neuralink’s N1 device is a small, quarter-sized implant that is fully implanted on the skull. It features 64 ultra-thin threads with tiny electrodes that detect neural signals from the brain’s motor cortex.
The company is working to refine its technology and address any issues that arise during its clinical trials. Neuralink modified an algorithm to improve signal detection and translation Neuralink’s ultimate goal is to enable people, including those with severe paralysis, to control devices with their thoughts.
This development highlights the challenges and complexities of developing brain-computer interface technology. Neuralink’s prompt response to addressing the issue demonstrates its commitment to improving its technology and ensuring the safety and efficacy of its devices.
Microsoft and OpenAI Launch $2 Million Societal Resilience Fund to Combat AI Misinformation
Microsoft and OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, have announced a joint initiative to tackle the growing threat of AI misinformation and promote digital literacy worldwide. The $2 million Societal Resilience Fund aims to empower vulnerable communities and voters to navigate the complex digital landscape and combat the spread of deceptive AI content.
Their main objectives are to promote AI education and literacy among vulnerable communities, including older adults, combat AI misinformation and deepfakes that can undermine democracy and deceive voters and foster public awareness and all-of-society resilience against deceptive AI content
The fund will provide grants to several organizations, including:
– Older Adults Technology Services from AARP (OATS)
– Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA)
– International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)
– Partnership on AI (PAI)
– The initiative builds on Microsoft and OpenAI’s public commitments to combat the deceptive use of AI in the 2024 elections, made via the White House Voluntary Commitments and the Tech Accord.
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TikTok Takes on the US Government in Landmark Lawsuit
TikTok, the popular video-sharing app, has filed a lawsuit against the US government, challenging a new law that demands its Chinese parent company, ByteDance Ltd., to divest itself of the platform or face a ban. This bold move marks the first legal challenge to the law, which TikTok argues violates its First Amendment rights and is technically and commercially unfeasible.
The US government has long expressed concerns about TikTok’s data collection and security practices due to its Chinese ownership and Lawmakers believe that ByteDance’s ties to the Chinese government pose a national security risk. The new law, signed in March, gives ByteDance 180 days to sell or spin off TikTok’s US operations.
TikTok is arguing that the law targets a single speech platform, violating the First Amendment, divestiture is not commercially, technologically, or legally possible within the given timeframe and the law is a form of censorship, stifling free speech and creativity.
The government’s major stance is that it has concerns about TikTok’s data collection and security practices and the lawmakers believe divestiture is necessary to address national security risks.
As for the legal proceedings, TikTok filed the lawsuit in the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. The court will need to balance First Amendment rights with national security concerns and a stay or preliminary injunction may be requested to put the law on hold until a decision is reached.
This landmark lawsuit has significant implications for the tech industry, free speech, and national security. The outcome will set a precedent for how the US government handles concerns about foreign-owned tech companies and data security.
