Amazon's facing more EU scrutiny over its recommender algorithms and ad transparency. 🚨  The European Commission sent another RFI to Amazon about its compliance with digital rules. 📜  This isn'...

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- Amazon's facing more EU scrutiny over its recommender algorithms and ad transparency. 🚨
- The European Commission sent another RFI to Amazon about its compliance with digital rules. 📜
- This isn't the first time Amazon's been in hot water with the EU. 🌊
- Are these regulations stifling innovation or protecting consumers? 🤔
- Why is Big Tech always in the EU's crosshairs? 💥

Is Amazon's Algorithmic Transparency Under EU Fire Again?

Journalist

Is Amazon's Algorithmic Transparency Under EU Fire Again?- Grapevine

- Microsoft and Apple have decided not to take board roles at OpenAI, highlighting growing regulatory concerns over Big Tech's influence on AI.
- Microsoft, which invested $13 billion in OpenAI, will withdraw from the board, citing confidence in the company's direction and deeming their observer role unnecessary.
- European and US regulators have expressed concerns about Microsoft's influence over OpenAI, prompting investigations into potential dominance and antitrust issues.
- The UK is also scrutinizing Amazon's $4 billion collaboration with AI company Anthropic, while the US probes Nvidia's dominance in AI chips.
- OpenAI will continue to engage with stakeholders through regular meetings to ensure collaboration on safety and security, following its transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity.

Microsoft and Apple Withdraw from OpenAI Board Amid Regulatory Scrutiny

We are so back 🇮🇳

Welcome to Software Engineers's Private Community

OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman testified against Congress(USA wala) and the end result seems to be there will be global regulations on AI. There might be a transparency law that dictates what Data is used for training.

Now I have a few questions:

1. Is it a pro game move by OpenAI to slow down AI Training of smaller companies that are just starting out?
2. Since big tech has back door access to law makers lobby(as we saw in case if right to repair), will they bend the regulations per there liking?
3. Given countries like US and China have supremacy over AI Research, will it curtain AI Development in countries like India?
4. Will Google Bard again cry in trashcan?

AI Regulations are Coming, but but but

Software Engineer

- Appario, a former top seller on Amazon India, filed a lawsuit against the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to quash an antitrust report.
- The report allegedly details how Amazon India gave preferential treatment to certain sellers, including Appario, violating competition laws.
- Appario, a joint venture between Amazon and Patni Group, was internally referred to as a “special” merchant, benefiting from discounts.
- CCI has been investigating Amazon and Flipkart for four years, with potential penalties up to 10% of their global turnover.
- In July 2024, Appario Retail was sold to Clicktech, but the antitrust probe continues.

Source: [Inc42](https://inc42.com/buzz/amazons-delisted-seller-sues-competition-commission-of-india/)

Delisted Seller Appario Sues Competition Commission Over Amazon Antitrust Probe

- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) found Amazon India and Flipkart guilty of violating competition laws by favoring select sellers on their platforms.
- Both companies will have the opportunity to review the report and file objections before fines are decided.
- The CCI's investigation, initiated in 2020, revealed that preferred sellers received advantages such as better listings and deep discounts.
- The watchdog noted that these practices had a catastrophic impact on market competition, especially in the mobile phone segment.
- This development follows multiple legal challenges and a Supreme Court ruling allowing the investigation to proceed. 

 Source: [Inc42](https://inc42.com/buzz/cci-finds-flipkart-amazon-india-guilty-of-flouting-antitrust-rules/)

CCI Finds Flipkart & Amazon India Guilty Of Flouting Antitrust Rules

Hey Ram! why Amazon why??

Product Designer

Welcome to Indian Startups's Private Community

When Aadit said he wants to be like Amazon, was not bluffing. This sounds so much like Prime Day

Consultant

- Epic Games and Spotify are leveraging new European regulations to bypass Apple's control over the App Store.
- Epic Games announced the launch of an alternative app store for iPhone users in Europe, starting with three games.
- Spotify has begun directing European users to its website for subscriptions, a move previously restricted by Apple.
- Apple is facing similar regulatory pressures in the U.S., with ongoing legal battles and high fees for alternative payment systems.
- The European Commission has criticized Apple for not fully complying with digital-competition laws, threatening significant fines. 

 Source: [WSJ](https://www.wsj.com/tech/epic-games-apple-app-store-europe-44ceda50?mod=tech_lead_story)

Apple's Grip on App Store Weakens in Europe Amid New Regulations

I interviewed for data engineer at Amazon in feb. I was told that my profile has been put on hold because so meone else has been chosen internally. Now recruiter comes up with BI engineer role. Got selected. I didn't say anything because I just wanted to get out of TCS at all costs. Now she's demanding that I must join them on 22 april, which is less than 2 weeks away. Are they trying to back me off? Because the request is unreasonable. They haven't yet released offer letter, salary negotiations haven't taken place. Should I ask for offer letter first? Or ask for early release with TCS? What should my plan of action. Need advice.

Need advice: Amazon trying to coerce.

Software Developer

Sam Altman fired from OpenAi

Just woke up and read this! Sad indeed, guy challenged dominance of Bigtech and made google look like IBM 🥲

Product Manager

Europe's New Innovation 🌍

Welcome to Data Scientists's Private Community

this government wants to control everything: why are they so insecure ?

Need Govt approval to build AI based tech?

Senior Software Engineer

Welcome to Office Gossip's Private Community

I work on growth and marketing, and have to deal with perf marketing a lot. 
It is in these situations that I have to sometimes interface with people from FAANG or other larger companies. Because our org has major spends, we often have Account Managers/others from these companies as interface.

This experience is consistent across Microsoft, Google, Meta, etc. 
Firstly, they absolutely do not give two shits about your business. They will pretend to care about your business goals and even pretend that they understand what a startup needs. But they just dont. These are the most CHECKED OUT people I have ever met in my life

They meet with you like it's a check list. 

They absolutely do not care about startups. As platforms or as people. They don't give two fucks whether their work has any impact. It's just pretense - and hitting whatever basic targets they have. 

They do not care about anything related to work apart from 12 pm to 5 pm (their work timings)

They are a plague, slowing down society, lacking any spark to ever do any real work in this world.

Rant: Big Tech (FAANG) Employees/AMs are a menace

I've observed a significant amount of internal politics within Amazon departments, particularly regarding promotions. It seems like individuals who engage in favoritism or 'bootlicking' are the ones often rewarded with promotions. Have others also noticed this trend?

Are Amazon promotions and appraisals politically driven??

UX/UI Designer

A Bloomberg report revealed that Amazon has conducted yet another round of layoffs. And people working in its audio streaming platform have been affected. Sources told Bloomberg that employees from Amazon Music's editorial and audio content team have been given the pink slip.

An Amazon spokesperson told Bloomberg that the company has been keeping a close eye on their "organisational needs" and has been prioritising what matters the most to customers keeping the businesses long-term health in mind. To fulfil this, some roles in the Amazon Music Team have been eliminated. 

https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/technology/news/story/amazon-layoffs-continue-company-fires-people-from-amazon-music-team-2460707-2023-11-09

One more round of Amazon layoffs

Public Relations

First openAi,then Mistral,Inflection Ai and now Stability AI

Bro is collecting every AI startup like a Pokemon

Google isn't much better either tbh.

Ad accounts arbitrarily stopped can disrupt cashflows in a major way. I'm seeing a lot of startups struggle with frequent algo/rule changes and blocked accounts.

Sad to see.

Meta can literally screw anyone they like at any time

Product Owner

- Chinese government officials are rigorously testing AI models to ensure they align with core socialist values, expanding the country's censorship regime.
- The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) is conducting mandatory reviews of AI models from major tech companies like ByteDance, Alibaba, and start-ups such as Moonshot and 01.AI.
- The review process includes batch-testing AI responses to politically sensitive questions and examining training data and safety protocols.
- China's stringent approval process has led AI developers to implement extensive censorship measures, including filtering training data and building sensitive keyword databases.
- Despite the strict regulations, Chinese officials aim to avoid AI models that completely dodge political topics, setting limits on the number of questions AI can decline during safety tests. 

 Source: Financial Times

Is Amazon's Algorithmic Transparency Under EU Fire Again?

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