Plus: Anthropic researcher quits over AI fears. And the Department of Justice requests additional information on Fox’s acquisition of Roku. Julie Chang hosts.
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[00:00:01] Here's your afternoon TNB Tech Minute for Wednesday, September 9th. I'm Julie Chang for The Wall Street Journal. Apple kicked off its most consequential product event in years today, where it debuted a new CEO, its first foldable iPhone, and higher prices. The new iPhone Duo is an almost tablet-like device that can fit comfortably in a pocket when folded and allows people to use more than one app at a time. John Turnus took to the stage for the first time as Apple CEO to reveal the Duo.
[00:00:30] For a device that plays such a central role in your life, a larger display would open up entirely new possibilities. But the new tech will come at a higher price. It'll start at $1,999. The cost of memory and storage chips inside the smartphone has quintupled since last fall, prompting Apple to raise prices across its device lineup to protect its profit margins.
[00:00:53] A researcher at Anthropic is quitting the AI industry over fears that companies are racing to build uncontrollable, self-improving systems. The departure reflects growing safety concerns at top firms. The researcher, Jacob Coxon, said he worried self-improving AI could quickly spiral out of control and destroy humanity.
[00:01:13] Anthropic didn't immediately comment on the departure, but its CEO, Dario Amadei, and other company leaders have warned about the risks of rogue AI models and urged the industry to slow development. And the Justice Department has requested more information regarding Fox's planned $25 billion acquisition of Roku. Fox and Roku said they are cooperating with the Justice Department and still expect the acquisition to close in the first half of next year.
[00:01:41] Fox in June said it would acquire Roku, bringing together a media company known for its live news and sports programming with the biggest provider of streaming platforms for connected TVs. The deal would expand Fox's streaming business, which includes 2B, Fox One, and Fox Nation. Fox and Wall Street Journal-Parent News Corps share common ownership. And that's it for your Tech News Briefing, we'll have another quick tech update in the morning. Off eliminator