Sci-Tech

Microsoft Makes High-Stakes Play in Tech Cold War With Emirati A.I. Deal

Published

3 months ago

April 16, 2024

Microsoft on Tuesday plans to announce a $1.5 billion investment in G42, an artificial intelligence giant in the United Arab Emirates, in a deal largely orchestrated by the Biden administration to box out China as Washington and Beijing battle over who will exercise technological influence in the Gulf region and beyond.

Under the partnership, Microsoft will give G42 permission to sell Microsoft services that use powerful A.I. chips, which are used to train and fine-tune generative A.I. models. In return, G42, which has been under scrutiny by Washington for its ties to China, will use Microsoft’s cloud services and accede to a security arrangement negotiated in detailed conversations with the U.S. government. It places a series of protections on the A.I. products shared with G42 and includes an agreement to strip Chinese gear out of G42’s operations, among other steps.

“When it comes to emerging technology, you cannot be both in China’s camp and our camp,” said Gina Raimondo, the Commerce Secretary, who traveled twice to the U.A.E. to talk about security arrangements for this and other partnerships.

The accord is highly unusual, Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, said in an interview, reflecting the U.S. government’s extraordinary concern about protecting the intellectual property behind A.I. programs.

“The U.S. is quite naturally concerned that the most important technology is guarded by a trusted U.S. company,” said Mr. Smith, who will take a seat on G42’s board.

The investment could help the United States push back against China’s rising influence in the Gulf region. If the moves succeed, G42 would be brought into the U.S. fold and pare back its ties with China. The deal could also become a model for how U.S. firms leverage their technological leadership in A.I. to lure countries away from Chinese tech, while reaping huge financial awards.

But the matter is sensitive, as U.S. officials have raised questions about G42. This year, a congressional committee wrote a letter urging the Commerce Department to look into whether G42 should be put under trade restrictions for its ties to China, which include partnerships with Chinese firms and employees who came from government-connected companies.

In an interview, Ms. Raimondo, who has been at the center of an effort to prevent China from obtaining the most advanced semiconductors and the equipment to make them, said the agreement “does not authorize the transfer of artificial intelligence, or A.I. models, or GPUs” — the processors needed to develop A.I. applications — and “assures those technologies can be safely developed, protected and deployed.”

While the U.A.E. and United States did not sign a separate accord, Ms. Raimondo said, “We have been extensively briefed and we are comfortable that this agreement is consistent with our values.”

In a statement, Peng Xiao, the group chief executive of G42, said that “through Microsoft’s strategic investment, we are advancing our mission to deliver cutting-edge A.I. technologies at scale.”

The United States and China have been racing to exert technological influence in the Gulf, where hundreds of billions of dollars are up for grabs and major investors, including Saudi Arabia, are expected to spend billions on the technology. In the rush to diversify away from oil, many leaders in the region have set their sights on A.I. — and have been happy to play the United States and China off each other.

Although the U.A.E. is an important U.S. diplomatic and intelligence partner, and one of the largest buyers of American weapons, it has increasingly expanded its military and economic ties with China. A portion of its domestic surveillance system is built on Chinese technology and its telecommunications work on hardware from Huawei, a Chinese supplier. That has fed the worries of U.S. officials, who often visit the Persian Gulf nation to discuss security issues.

But U.S. officials are also concerned that the spread of powerful A.I. technology critical to national security could eventually be used by China or by Chinese government-linked engineers, if not sufficiently guarded. Last month, a U.S. cybersecurity review board sharply criticized Microsoft over a hack in which Chinese attackers gained access to data from top officials. Any major leak — for instance, by G42 selling Microsoft A.I. solutions to companies set up in the region by China — would go against Biden administration policies that have sought to limit China’s access to the cutting-edge technology.

“This is among the most advanced technology that the U.S. possesses,” said Gregory Allen, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former U.S. defense official who worked on A.I. “There should be very strategic rationale for offshoring it anywhere.”

For Microsoft, a deal with G42 offers potential access to huge Emirati wealth. The company, whose chairman is Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed, the Emirates’ national security adviser and the younger brother of the country’s ruler, is a core part of the U.A.E.’s efforts to become a major A.I. player.

Despite a name whimsically drawn from “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” in which the answer to the “ultimate question of life” is 42, G42 is deeply embedded in the Emirati security state. It specializes in A.I. and recently worked to build an Arabic chatbot, called Jais.

G42 is also focused on biotechnology and surveillance. Several of its executives, including Mr. Xiao, were associated with a company called DarkMatter, an Emirati cyber-intelligence and hacking firm that employs former spies.

In its letter this year, the bipartisan House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party said Mr. Xiao was connected to an expansive network of companies that “materially support” the Chinese military’s technological advancement.

The origins of Tuesday’s accord go back to White House meetings last year, when top national security aides raised the question with tech executives of how to encourage business arrangements that would deepen U.S. ties to firms around the world, especially those China is also interested in.

Under the agreement, G42 will cease using Huawei telecom equipment, which the United States fears could provide a backdoor for the Chinese intelligence agencies. The accord further commits G42 to seeking permission before it shares its technologies with other governments or militaries and prohibits it from using the technology for surveillance. Microsoft will also have the power to audit G42’s use of its technology.

G42 would get use of A.I. computing power in Microsoft’s data center in the U.A.E., sensitive technology that cannot be sold in the country without an export license. Access to the computing power would likely give G42 a competitive edge in the region. A second phase of the deal, which could prove even more controversial and has not yet been negotiated, could transfer some of Microsoft’s A.I. technology to G42.

American intelligence officials have raised concerns about G42’s relationship to China in a series of classified assessments, The New York Times previously reported. Biden administration officials have also pushed their Emirati counterparts to cut the company’s ties to China. Some officials believe the U.S. pressure campaign has yielded some results, but remain concerned about less overt ties between G42 and China.

One G42 executive previously worked at the Chinese A.I. surveillance company Yitu, which has extensive ties to China’s security services and runs facial-recognition powered monitoring across the country. The company has also had ties to a Chinese genetics giant, BGI, whose subsidiaries were placed on a blacklist by the Biden administration last year. Mr. Xiao also led a firm that was involved in 2019 in starting and operating a social media app, ToTok, that U.S. intelligence agencies said was an Emirati spy tool used to harvest user data.

In recent months, G42 has agreed to walk back some of its China ties, including divesting a stake it took in TikTok owner ByteDance and pulling out Huawei technology from its operations, according to U.S. officials.

Edward Wong contributed reporting.

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Sci-Tech

ISPs are fighting to raise the price of low-income broadband

Published

11 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Danny Gallagher

A new government program is trying to encourage Internet service providers (ISPs) to offer lower rates for lower income customers by distributing federal funds through states. The only problem is the ISPs don’t want to offer the proposed rates.

obtained a letter sent to US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo signed by more than 30 broadband industry trade groups like ACA Connects and the Fiber Broadband Association as well as several state based organizations. The letter raises “both a sense of alarm and urgency” about their ability to participate in the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program. The newly formed BEAD program provides over $42 billion in federal funds to “expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure, deployment and adoption programs” in states across the country, according to the (NTIA).

The money first goes to the NTIA and then it’s distributed to states after they obtain approval from the NTIA by presenting a low-cost broadband Internet option. The ISP industries’ letter claims a fixed rate of $30 per month for high speed Internet access is “completely unmoored from the economic realities of deploying and operating networks in the highest-cost, hardest-to-reach areas.”

The letter urges the NTIA to revise the low-cost service option rate proposed or approved so far. have completed all of the BEAD program’s phases.

Americans pay an average of $89 a month for Internet access. New Jersey has the highest average bill at $126 per month, according to a survey conducted by . A 2021 study from the found that 57 percent of households with an annual salary of $30,000 or less have a broadband connection.

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Sci-Tech

These transparent earbuds by Nothing made my AirPods look and sound boring

Published

13 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Nina Raemont

A hand holding the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds — Nina Raemont/ZDNET

ZDNET’s key takeaways

For $99, the new Nothing Ear (a) earbuds offer clear sound and a thoughtful design.
Their affordability, comfort, and long battery life make them a great option for budget-conscious shoppers.
Unfortunately, its middling noise-canceling tech doesn’t protect you from external noises.

Most of the audio tech on the market right now errs on the side of aesthetic caution. I’ve tested plenty of earbuds this year, and something I’ve noticed is that many manufacturers sacrifice style for functionality, opting for blacks, grays, and enough matte finishes to fit inside a therapist’s office — much to my chagrin. In the words of the late, great Andre Leon Talley, “it’s a famine of beauty” over here.

Also: Why I ditched my AirPods Pro for Nothing’s new transparent earbuds (and don’t regret it)

So when Nothing sent me its new earbuds, I was excited to finally see a cool, fresh, and exciting design, and they’re worthy of a callout. I’ve been testing the new Nothing Ear (a) earbuds since launch, taking them on a ten-mile run, working deskside, and commuting on the subway with them in my ears. One question that informed my initial testing was: Despite their stylish design, how does the audio tech stack up to similarly-priced competitors?

View at Amazon

The Nothing Ear (a) advances on the specs from the brand’s Ear (1) earbuds from 2021. The new buds offer plenty of upgrades like improved active noise cancellation, transparency mode, longer battery life, Bluetooth multipoint, minimized latency for gaming, and pinch controls.

Also: The best earbuds of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed

Nothing plays with solid color and transparent accents and puts the two at the forefront of its product design. You can’t help but obsess over the brand’s unique visual appeal: a stripped-down design that reveals the inner workings of the technology cast against bold colors. The clear design of both the earbud case and the earbuds itself offers users an inside look into the tech’s internal components and an appreciation for what is often obscured.

Nothing Ear (a) on a table — Nina Raemont/ZDNET

The earbuds come with three ear tip sizes in the box and are available in three colors: black, white, and yellow. I tried these buds in yellow, which is the first non-neutral color in Nothing’s earbud lineup. The color feels daring and bright and is just as much a fashion accessory as it is a tech accessory.

Other competitive earbuds can’t say the same: I looked at my list of best earbuds to see if there was any color diversity and found that every top earbuds I’ve included are either black, a muted white, or white, from Sony’s WF-1000XM5 and JBL’s Tour Pro 2, to Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra and Apple’s AirPods Pro. These earbuds, on the other hand, are like the AirPods Pro’s funkier younger sister who went to art school, buys gifts for friends through the MOMA Store, and can explain the difference between white and orange wine to you.

The case is lightweight and compact, so it won’t be obstructive or heavy in your pocket. The earbuds themselves are comfortable and easy to wear, with an extra tactile ear tip that keeps the buds attached to your ear canal as you move around. Nothing also equipped these buds with Bluetooth multipoint and in-ear detection when you wear these, two nice touches that inexpensive earbuds occasionally lack.

Also: The best earbuds I’ve ever listened to are not by Bose or Sony

I ran for five hours and worked and commuted with these earbuds for a week straight and still have a battery life of 80%. Needless to say, these earbuds won’t die easily on you.

Nothing Ear (a) held up to a mirror — Nina Raemont/ZDNET

One of my favorite design choices with the Ear (a) is that the controls are dictated by pinches instead of taps and swipes, similar to the AirPods Pro 2. Most earbuds that I’ve tested with the same form factor have touch controls on the top of the ear stem where the bud meets the stem. I always run with earbuds in, and when my ears get too sweaty, and my earbuds begin to slip out, I accidentally touch and activate the touch controls when I’m attempting to press the bud back into my ears.

Also: The best earbuds under $100

Nothing eliminated this problem for me, as the touch controls are at the bottom of the stem, far away from accidental touches. Despite needing a pinch to activate the controls, they are reliable and responsive. The pinch controls allow you to play and pause music, skip tracks, and toggle between ANC and transparency mode.

Speaking of ANC, this feature is where the Ear (a) buds begin to show their affordable price. I turned on the ANC while I worked in the office, and I could still hear my colleagues’ computer notification pings and conversations around me. For $109, I wasn’t expecting mind-blowing ANC, and that’s certainly not what I got. The earbuds will drown out some noise, but you’ll have to pay a higher price for premium ANC.

Review: Nothing Ear Stick: Earbuds, but make it fashion

When it comes to the actual audio quality, however, these earbuds produce a balanced, clear, and bright sound. While listening to Moses Sumney and Shabaka’s Insecurities, the harp and flute whistles in the upper midrange shimmered in my ears without being too harsh. Bass-heavy songs can get an extra boost by tweaking the Bass Enhance algorithm in the Nothing app. While listening to Kaytranada’s What You Need, I toggled between the five levels of bass enhancement to boost the lower frequencies. This feature created a noticeably different sound with deeper, richer bass.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Nothing Ear (a) are best for people who want a relatively affordable pair of earbuds with thoughtful functions and a unique design.

If you want earbuds with more effective noise-canceling for a similar price, consider the JLab JBuds ANC 3 for their strong noise-canceling and snug fit. If you like Nothing’s unique and charming design choices but want better sound, more effective ANC, and more premium features, try the Nothing Ear.

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Sci-Tech

Best Internet Providers in Columbia, South Carolina

Published

13 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Stephen J. Bronner

What’s the best internet provider in Columbia?

This famously hot Soda City — endearingly nicknamed “Cola” — is South Carolina’s capital. Pondering these two unrelated facts brings up two questions for those of us who’d rather stay safely indoors to beat the heat, watching Netflix with a fizzy beverage in hand: Do the internet speeds in Columbia pop? Are there options to consider for the best internet service provider in the city?

Good news for residents of the former home of the world’s largest fire hydrant: Median download speeds in Columbia exceed 200 megabits per second, according to Ookla data. To answer the second question, fiber internet from AT&T is available in Soda City and that makes AT&T Fiber our choice for the best internet service provider in Columbia.

While we recommend AT&T Fiber, its expected speeds are on par with Spectrum’s, its largest competitor within Columbia, according to Ookla. Other than these two major ISPs, some Soda City citizens can connect with Verizon and T-Mobile’s 5G home internet. If you’re looking for the speediest plan in the city, AT&T Fiber’s multigig plans top out at 5,000Mbps. On the other hand, there are a few affordable options in the area, but the cheapest internet belongs to Spectrum’s $40-per-month plan for 300Mbps.

Best internet in Soda City

Columbia internet providers compared

Provider	Internet technology	Monthly price range	Speed range	Monthly equipment costs	Data cap	Contract	CNET review score
AT&T Read full review	Fiber	$55-$245	300-5,000Mbps	None	None	None	7.4
CarolinaConnect Cooperative, Inc.	Fiber	$50-$90	350-1,000Mbps	None	None	None	N/A
Hughesnet Read full review	Satellite	$50-$95	50-100Mbps	$15 or $300 to $450 one-time purchase	100-200GB	2 years	6
Spectrum Read full review	Cable	$50-$90	300-1,000Mbps	Modem free; $7 for router (optional)	None	None	7.2
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review	Fixed wireless	$60-$70 ($40-$50 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers)	72-245Mbps	None	None	None	7.4
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review	Fixed Wireless	$50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible mobile customers)	100-300Mbps	None	None	None	7.2
Viasat Read full review	Satellite	$120	25-150Mbps	$15 or $250 one-time purchase	Unlimited (850GB soft cap)	None	6.1

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data

Other available internet providers in Columbia

Most of the city will have access to AT&T’s fiber internet (or EarthLink’s piggybacked option) or cable internet through Spectrum. In contrast, some neighborhoods have access to T-Mobile or Verizon’s 5G options, as well as regional carriers ispMint and EIN. Here are the other options in the city not listed above.

EarthLink: EarthLink uses other networks to connect its customers to the internet. The company provides a good variety of speeds, starting at 100Mbps and going up to a whopping 5,000Mbps, with prices ranging from $60 to $190.
EIN: This Kansas-based ISP serves some of Columbia and its surrounding areas. DSL internet plans start at $88 monthly for 6Mbps in download speeds. However, the tiers range from 300Mbps to blazing speeds of 5,000Mbps.
ispMint: A veteran-owned provider serving mostly rural customers, its $199 plan (which requires purchasing a $299 device or an extra $30 per month to lease) averages between 15 to 50Mbps.
Hughesnet: Columbia residents likely won’t need satellite internet (SpaceX’s Starlink is also available almost everywhere in the city). Hughesnet offers speeds of 50Mbps with prices starting at $50 with a two-year contract and equipment fees. Columbia residents have access to its Fusion plans, a satellite and wireless home internet combo.
T-Mobile Home Internet: The wireless carrier’s 5G home internet can be a compelling option in terms of price if it’s available to you, especially if you have certain mobile plans with the company. Speeds range from 72 to 245Mbps for $60 per month. It becomes a much more compelling option for customers of the company’s Go5G Plus or Magenta Max phone plans, which drops the price to $40 monthly. T-Mobile customers with Go5G, Magenta or Essentials plans get a smaller discounted price of $40 per month.
Viasat: Viasat has a singular plan that features speeds of up to 150Mbps for $120 per month. While unlimited data is available, you can expect a monthly soft cap of 850GB.

Evening view of the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina. The Wade Hampton statue sits behind the South Carolina Statehouse. — Denis Tangney, Jr./Getty Images

Cheap internet options in Columbia

You can expect to spend around $51 per month to connect to the internet in Columbia. If you want more speed, there are many options. That’s good news for people who want to beat the city’s famous heat by staying indoors.

How many members of your household use the internet?

The cheapest internet belongs to Spectrum’s $40-per-month plan for download speeds of 300Mbps. However, for those looking for cheap internet options in Columbia, there aren’t many. Most plans start around $50 per month. However, eligible mobile customers with Verizon and T-Mobile can receive discounted rates.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Columbia?

Provider	Starting price	Max download speed	Monthly equipment fee	Contract
Spectrum Read full review	$40	300Mbps	Modem free; $7 for router (optional)	None
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review	$50 ($35 with eligible phone plan)	100Mbps	None	None
AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review	$55	300Mbps	None	None
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review	$60 ($40 with eligible phone plan)	245Mbps	None	None

Show more (0 item)

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

How to find internet deals and promotions in Columbia

The best internet deals and top promotions in Columbia depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Columbia internet providers, such as Spectrum and Verizon, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including AT&T and T-Mobile run the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

How fast is Columbia broadband?

According to the latest Ookla speed test data, Columbia residents have access to a comfortable fixed median download speed of 230Mbps. Gig-plus options are available from AT&T, Spectrum and local ISP CarolinaConnect Cooperative. AT&T Fiber has the fastest hookup, featuring 5,000Mbps in download and upload speeds.

Fastest internet plans in Columbia

Provider	Max download speed	Max upload speed	Starting price	Data cap	Contract
AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review	5,000Mbps	5,000Mbps	$245	None	None
AT&T Fiber 2000 Read full review	2,000Mbps	2,000Mbps	$145	None	None
AT&T Fiber 1000 Read full review	1,000Mbps	1,000Mbps	$80	None	None
CarolinaConnect 1000	1,000Mbps	1,000Mbps	$90	None	None
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review	1,000Mbps	35Mbps	$60	None	None

Show more (1 item)

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Columbia

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
Are customers happy with their service?

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our How We Test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Columbia?

Most Columbia residents will be well served by Spectrum’s cable connection which is widely available in the city. Some Cola residents have access to 5G home internet from T-Mobile or Verizon — each makes for a good option for existing customers of their wireless services due to the deep monthly discounts they offer. AT&T Fiber’s coverage is limited in the city, but if your address is serviceable, I would put it at the top of your list.

Internet providers in Columbia FAQs

Which is the best internet service provider in Columbia, SC?

With its high marks on customer satisfaction surveys and variety of options in terms of price and speed — CNET calls it a “terrific value” — AT&T’s fiber internet will be the best choice for most Columbia residents.

Is fiber internet available in Columbia, SC?

Indeed it is. Cola residents can get fiber internet from AT&T with speeds up to 5,000Mbps. Some residents may also have access to CarolinaConnect‘s fiber-optic network, featuring speeds up to a gig.

Should I choose AT&T or Spectrum?

Most Columbia residents will have access to internet options from Spectrum, whereas, fiber coverage from AT&T is limited. For a full breakdown of the differences between AT&T and Spectrum, check out our guide that pits them against each other. But the TL;DR is that since Cola can get on AT&T’s fiber plans, those are the better options.

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