The Academy Awards have new film rules. AI is now okay for the Oscars

On Monday, Microsoft announced the transition of its Microsoft Account (MSA) signing service to Azure confidential virtual machines (VMs), with plans to migrate the Entra ID signing service as well. This announcement follows the company's completion of updates to Microsoft Entra ID and MSA for both public and United States government clouds approximately seven months ago. The move aligns with Microsoft’s commitment to enhancing security and compliance in its cloud services. Full Article

Nvidia’s GeForce Game Ready Driver 576.02 for the RTX 5060 Ti has resulted in user-reported issues, particularly affecting GPU temperature monitoring across various graphics cards. Following the installation of this update, many users expressed their frustrations on Reddit and other forums, noting that their GPU temperature readings either froze or became static. This bug has prompted widespread concern among the gaming community, highlighting the need for Nvidia to address the problem promptly. Full Article

While SSDs are favored in consumer PCs, mechanical hard drives remain dominant in data centers, often ending their life cycle as e-waste, with valuable rare earth elements (REE) lost. In response, Western Digital has launched the Advanced Recycling and Rare Earth Material Capture Program in collaboration with Microsoft and recycling partners, aimed at reclaiming essential materials like dysprosium and neodymium from hard drives, achieving over 90% reclamation of REE. This initiative has already diverted 47,000...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that it will not take an official stance on the use of AI in filmmaking, stating that AI tools neither help nor harm the chances of Oscar nominations. This decision follows discussions surrounding AI's role in productions like Best Picture nominees The Brutalist and Emilia Pérez, which utilized AI to modify performances. While the Academy emphasizes human involvement in creativity, concerns from Hollywood labor unions...

Andreessen Horowitz's Hiring Spree Continues On Monday, Erik Torenberg announced that the prominent VC firm Andreessen Horowitz has acquired his podcast, Turpentine, with him joining as a general partner. The podcast primarily features interviews with various VCs about their investment strategies, including recent guests like Accel’s Andrew Braccia and Seven Seven Six’s Alexis Ohanian. This move highlights Andreessen Horowitz's ongoing expansion and commitment to integrating diverse voices within the venture capital landscape. Full Article

Meta Implements AI for Age Detection in Teen AccountsMeta is testing artificial intelligence technology in the US to identify users who may be teens, even if they misrepresent their age, and transition them to teen accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger. These teen accounts, introduced last fall, feature stricter privacy settings and parental controls, with over 54 million teens already enrolled. Meta aims to educate parents on the importance of accurate age representation and is...