With 9,000 new layoffs at Microsoft, is AI set to change the gaming industry forever?
In recent years, like many other big technology firms, Microsoft has refocused its business towards developing AI, and this week the firm has announced it's slashing 9,000 jobs. A large chunk of these jobs are coming from its Xbox video gaming unit, with successful and longstanding titles like Elder Scrolls and Forza Motorport in the firing line. Why is Microsoft choosing AI over people? And what difference will this make for players of these games?Also, Nintendo has told shareholders that they're investing in virtual reality. Is Nintendo able to revive this less-than-popular tech? Or is this just another shiny promise for investors?Plus, two million people play eSports in Australia, which is more than five times the amount of Javelin throwers we have, so why is one an Olympic sport and not the other? Could the Brisbane Olympics be the chance for Australia to get in on the ground floor of elite competitive video gaming?GUESTS: Alice Clarke, award-winning tech journo and author of Press Any Button SubstackEdmond Tran, managing editor at This Week in VideogamesThis episode of Download This Show was made in Gadigal land and in Naarm. Technical production by Roi Huberman and Matthew Sigley.
--------
28:36
--------
28:36
An expert has quit over the government's planned social media ban, what now?
This week on Download This Show, we're getting up to speed with what on Earth is going on with the teen social media ban. From new standards being announced to experts quitting in protest -- it's proving to be a busy time for the people making decisions about what our teens get to see online.
--------
28:35
--------
28:35
How are online tools being used to resist fascism across the globe?
The apps and online tools that are being used in international political action, Tesla drama and the future of autonomous vehicles, what's going on with AI search engine overviews, and the story behind 40,000 cameras being exposed to the internet. This week on Download This Show.
--------
35:43
--------
35:43
Could a new copyright lawsuit from Disney change the way we use AI?
A lawsuit from the house of mouse, Apple being forced to let you download apps outside the app store, a huge hole in Gmail's data security, plus a world where generative AI is doing critical computer coding. This week on Download This Show.
--------
28:36
--------
28:36
'Imperial Kitten' vs 'Fancy Bear': how are kooky hacker nicknames causing serious concerns for cybersecurity?
Why do hackers have weird and wacky non-serious names? And why are British politicians blaming Apple and Google for the rise in phone thefts? Plus, there have been breakthroughs in the world of brain implants, and we break down how and when to use a VPN. This week on Download This Show.
Download This Show is your weekly guide to the world of media, culture, and technology. From social media to gadgets, streaming services to privacy issues. Each week Rae Johnston and guests take a fun, deep dive into how technology is reshaping our lives.
Australia