Spotify removes Andrew Tate podcasts after staff backlash, OpenAI develops model that can write creatively
Spotify has taken down a string of Andrew Tate podcasts after a backlash from its own staff. The streaming platform has pulled episodes from the misogynist influencer’s so-called guide to “pimping” women after workers criticised the “vile” content. “Pretty vile that we’re hosting Andrew Tate’s content,” one Spotify employee said in a company Slack channel called #ethics-club, according to 404 Media. “Happy Women’s History Month, everybody!” another employee responded sarcastically. Telegraph
The UK automotive industry is calling on the government to introduce purchase incentives to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). New research reveals that while EV uptake has increased, a significant portion of potential buyers remain “electric sceptics,” requiring incentives to make the switch. Industry modeling by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) indicates that current market conditions will lead to 1.782 million new EV registrations between 2025 and 2027. However, halving VAT on new EV purchases could increase demand by 15%. Tech Digest
The company behind ChatGPT has revealed it has developed an artificial intelligence model that is “good at creative writing”, as the tech sector continues its tussle with the creative industries over copyright. The chief executive of OpenAI, Sam Altman, said the unnamed model, which has not been released publicly, was the first time he had been “really struck” by the written output of one of the startup’s products. In a post on the social media platform X, Altman wrote: “We trained a new model that is good at creative writing (not sure yet how/when it will get released). This is the first time i have been really struck by something written by AI.” Guardian
Any court showdown between Apple and the Home Office over customer data must be held in public, MPs have demanded. It comes after the tech giant announced last month that it would no longer offer UK customers its most advanced, end-to-end security encryption feature for cloud data storage following a row with the government. The dispute was sparked when ministers reportedly decided to issue Apple with a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) demanding the right to see the user data. Legally, neither of the parties can publicly confirm the existence of the order. Sky News
Parents who are worried about their children being on Roblox should not let them use it, the chief executive of the gigantic gaming platform has said. The site, which is the most popular in the UK among young gamers aged eight to 12, has been dogged by claims of some children being exposed to explicit or harmful content through its games, alongside multiple reported allegations of bullying and grooming. But its co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki insisted that the company is vigilant in protecting its users and pointed out that “tens of millions” of people have “amazing experiences” on the site. BBC
For months, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams’ return has been delayed as engineers struggle to understand the return capsule’s problems. Less than a month after Elon Musk promised to use SpaceX to rescue the pair he claims were held for ‘political reasons’, a launch pad problem prompted SpaceX to delay it again. The new crew needs to get to the ISS before Wilmore and Williams can head home after nine months in orbit. Concerns over a critical hydraulic system arose less than four hours before the Falcon rocket’s planned lift-off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre. Metro
