Edit Reading

Back to List

Basic Information

Title

Please enter a title.

URL

Please enter a valid URL.

Date

カテゴリID

画像ファイル名

統計情報

単語数: 790語

読了回数: 0回

作成日: 2024/12/31 07:00

更新日: 2025/12/08 07:31

本文

Throughout 2024, we saw further development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and new legal action brought against technology companies. Here is a look back at some of the biggest tech stories we covered in 2024.

AI continues to expand

During the year, companies continued developing and deploying new AI tools.

Among these were a new set of AI offerings announced by American software company Microsoft. Officials explained the new tools included “personal agents” designed to help users complete business activities with little or no human involvement.

Microsoft says it designed the agents to expand on so-called chatbots – AI tools that work by themselves to produce human-level writing or discussions. The company said it expects a full release of the agents sometime in 2025.

In September, technology company Apple announced it was launching several new iPhones equipped with special chips to support AI operations. Apple chief Tim Cook said the new models had been “designed for Apple Intelligence from the ground up.”

We reported in October about an effort by researchers to use AI to improve existing weather prediction models. One system works by combining past weather predictions with modern methods to provide the most complete picture of weather and climate data.

More warnings AI’s possible dangers

In California, three legislative measures were enacted to ban the use of AI tools to create false images and videos during election campaigns. One main goal was to fight deepfakes. These are pieces of video or audio created to make it appear that people in it are saying or doing things they never said or did. Deepfakes were used in several world election campaigns in 2024.

In May, an international gathering of major AI developers and top government officials in Seoul agreed on measures that aim to ensure that AI systems are safely built and deployed. Attendees from 16 different technology companies signed a promise to develop AI technology in ways that limit possible public harms.

US legal moves against tech companies

About one year ago, an American jury found that Google’s app store operates as an illegal monopoly. Then in August 2024, a federal judge ruled that Google had violated trade laws by operating its search engine as a monopoly. The ruling accused Google of paying smartphone makers to ensure that its search engine was set as the default system on new devices.

As part of the case, the U.S. government proposed in November a series of measures to limit Google from anti-competition business activities. Google criticized the court’s ruling as an example of government overreach. U.S. officials have long warned that TikTok presents national security concerns.

Earlier this month, video sharing service TikTok asked a U.S. appeals court to block a law requiring its Chinese parent, ByteDance, to divest itself of TikTok or face a U.S. ban. The request came after the same court had upheld a law forcing ByteDance to sell TikTok by January 19 or face the ban. Lawyers for ByteDance and TikTok are seeking to have the U.S. Supreme Court rule on the case.

Self-driving tech

In May, U.S.-based Aurora Innovation said it was preparing to launch a series of driverless trucks to transport goods on a major public highway. Company officials said it planned to begin the service in Texas, with 20 tractor-trailers transporting goods between Dallas and Houston. The company hopes to expand the service to thousands of tractor-trailers within three to four years.

Flying taxis

In October, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it had issued final rules for operating air taxis. It also set training and approval requirements for pilots. The FAA said air taxis belong to a kind of aircraft known as Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) flyers. They generally operate on their own on electrical power, with vertical take-off and landing abilities.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said such aircraft represent “the first new category of aircraft in nearly 80 years.” He added that the new rules are meant to mark the beginning of possible widespread AAM operations across the U.S. in the future.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English.

Quiz - Top Technology Stories of 2024
Start the Quiz to find out
Start Quiz

___________________________________________

Words in This Story

chip – n. a very small slice of silicon containing electronic circuits (as for a computer)

monopoly – n. complete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market

default – adj. what exists or usually happens if no changes are made

divest – v. to sell something, especially a business or part of a business

vertical – adj. pointing straight up from a surface

category – n. a group of people of things of a similar kind

Forum

本文を入力してください。

メモ

メモ・感想

キャンセル

Edit Reading

Basic Information

統計情報

本文

メモ

Send Report