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May. 26, 2021 10:00AM EST
Why Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella isn't moving fast and breaking things
Critics argue that the impact of technology has grown so large that society can't afford for companies to release products just because they can, without fully anticipating issues like privacy and security. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella couldn't agree more.
What they're saying: "Tech is becoming so pervasive in our lives, in our society and our economy, that when it breaks, it’s not just about any one tech breaking or one company breaking," Nadella said in an exclusive interview with Axios. "It impacts us all."
- Whether it is security or AI ethics, Nadella said the industry needs to be more proactive about anticipating malicious uses of the technology they develop.
- "You can’t, as a tech provider, platform creator, say, hey, I’ll scale this and then worry about the unintended consequences," Nadella said. "That’s just not going to be acceptable in society, first. And then regulation, of course, ultimately will catch up."
Between the lines: Nadella also said that where once it was Microsoft that may have lacked for competition, now it is other companies that merit close antitrust scrutiny.
- "I think it’s pretty self-evident, right? I mean, when you look at, broadly, what is happening in the advertising space, what’s happening in certain platforms and the restrictions on those platforms, I think it’s clear as day where there is competition and where there isn’t."
My thought bubble: Nadella didn't name names, but if I were Tim Cook or Sundar Pichai, I'd take his comments personally.
The big picture: Microsoft, of course, learned all this the hard way.
- In the early 2000s it paused work on all its projects to bolster security after its products fell prey to a wave of viruses.
- Around the same time, it became more restrained in its business practices after a decade spent fighting antitrust battles in the U.S. and Europe.
"There used to be a boss I worked for who said, hey, you should never make the same mistake twice," Nadella said. "And I think it’s a good thing for us, as individual companies and as an industry. You can’t say, hey, I’m making the same mistake again and again and at greater scale. That just is not good."
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Jul. 11, 2021 05:40PM EST
Heat wave engulfs the West as Death Valley hits 130 degrees
About 30 million people are under excessive heat warnings or advisories as a heat wave sweeps the Western U.S., bringing potentially record-high temperatures on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
Why it matters: The heat wave comes after some regions in the Pacific Northwest saw temperature records shattered last month, with the same "heat dome" effect that is engulfing the West now, the New York Times reports. Human-caused climate change has exacerbated the frequency of these extreme heat events.
State of play: California's Death Valley saw 130°F temperatures on Friday, and could reach such highs again on Sunday. Those temperatures could set a record, if verified, since scientists have disputed a 134°F reading from 1913.
- Palm Springs, Calif. saw a record high of 120°F Sunday, beating the previous record of 118°F it reached Saturday, Los Angeles Times reports.
- The heat has caused wildfires and led to evacuation orders in several states, including California, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia.
- The Bootleg fire in Oregon was threatening transmission lines that supply California with power, after doubling in size to 120 square miles on Saturday.
- A huge wildfire burning in California's Plumas National Forrest, part of the duo of fires dubbed the Beckwourth Complex fires, doubled in size between Friday and Saturday, and even generated its own lightening, according to the L.A. Times. As of Saturday was only 8% contained.
- Las Vegas tied its all-time record high of 117°F on Saturday afternoon, AP reports.
What to watch, via Axios' Andrew Freedman: Utah tied their state heat record yesterday, and Vegas could break theirs today after tying it on Saturday. More importantly, the fires burning in California and Oregon and Washington will flare up again.
Go deeper:Northwest "heat dome" signals global warming's march
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