Microsoft shuts down Cortana / NVIDIA AI demo / Governments accelerate e-visas / TikTok’s comply with the Digital Services Act
Microsoft shuts down Cortana app on Windows 11
Microsoft has shut down its Cortana app for Windows 11, effectively ending the digital assistant’s time on the platform. When attempting to activate Cortana on Windows 11, users will receive a notification regarding the app’s termination, along with a link to a help page describing the change. Cortana support for Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams Display, and Microsoft Teams Rooms will be discontinued in the fall of 2023, with the exception of Cortana within Outlook mobile, which will remain.
Cortana began as a digital assistant for Windows Phone before being included into Windows 10. However, with the release of Windows 11, Cortana was removed from the taskbar, and the standalone app is no longer available. It struggled against competitors like as Alexa and Google Assistant, leading to its discontinuation. In an upcoming update, Microsoft will replace it with Windows Copilot, which will include Bing Chat for Windows 11 functions as well as native RAR and 7-Zip support.
Read more here.
Nvidia demo and imagine speaking to AI games character
During the Computex 2023 event held in Taipei, Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, showcased a groundbreaking demonstration that illustrated the potential intersection of gaming and AI. The demonstration featured a visually stunning rendering of a cyberpunk ramen shop, creating a captivating virtual environment. Nvidia’s demonstration envisioned a future where players could simply hold a button, speak using their own voice, and receive responsive answers from the video game character.
Nvidia’s presentation at Computex 2023 was referred to as a “peek at the future of games” By leveraging AI capabilities, the demonstration showcased how natural language processing and real-time speech recognition could shape the future of gaming interactions.
Read more here.
Governments accelerate e-visa drive to enrich their local economy
The pandemic’s blow to global tourism has led to an 11.3% growth in e-visa systems. In 2020, international tourism suffered a staggering $2.4 trillion loss due to plummeting visitor numbers. Now, countries heavily reliant on tourism income are adapting to the new reality. They’re embracing e-visa trends to attract travelers. Oman has opened its doors to 103 countries with visa-free entry. Thailand extended its e-visa to nine more nations, making it 23 in total. Egypt doubled its e-visa accessibility to 180 countries. Over 70 countries worldwide offer e-visas, and the market is expected to grow by 11.3% by 2028. These changes aim to stimulate economies by simplifying travel and encouraging more tourists, benefiting local businesses and job creation.
Read more here.
TikTok announces new package of features before Digital Services Act
TikTok has released new updates for its European users in order to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA) of the European Union. These improvements are intended to comply with DSA standards while also improving the online experience. They include streamlining content reporting, halting tailored video recommendations, and ceasing targeted marketing for teens. The DSA aims to make the internet a safer place while also encouraging fairness, innovation, and competitiveness in the European Union. TikTok previously launched ‘Project Clover’ to improve data privacy and security for European users, which included a new data center in Ireland and a ‘Transparency and Accountability Center.’ TikTok also opened data and algorithms to EU researchers in accordance with DSA mandates following discussions with EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.
Read more here.
In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) is a thread of tech and industry-related news from the previous weeks that we at WT Migremo Systems think you should know of. Feel free to bookmark our blog for more. Or, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.